


Part of Your World

by totallynotaddicted



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Daichi is prince eric, Iwa is a knight in training, M/M, Michimiya is the best friend in the whole world, Multi, oikawa is nothing but trouble, personal servant Yachi the cutie, suga is prince merman, tags will be updated at the story goes on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-07
Updated: 2016-05-31
Packaged: 2018-04-02 15:08:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4064500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totallynotaddicted/pseuds/totallynotaddicted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Koushi is a simple prince who wants nothing more than to not inherit the throne.</p><p>Daichi is a simple prince who feels that he isn't ready to take charge of a kingdom.</p><p>Little do they know that the other is the key to their happiness. But how will they ever find out if they live in two completely different worlds?</p><p>(AKA the daisuga Little Mermaid AU that no one expected)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *cries because i can't believe Im doing this* 
> 
> I have an undying thirst for daisuga and iwaoi and I love the little mermaid. I'll be using the basic plot line of Disney's version but with a bunch of twists in order to fit this au.
> 
> Hope ya'll like it

Many considered Sugawara Koushi to be the perfect example of what a prince should be like.

 

And Koushi hated that.

 

He heard it all the time.

 

He was prim and proper with impeccable manners. He always stood beside his father and never questioned him. He always found a way to soothe the situation, no matter how tense. He was a kind and compassionate soul who never missed the opportunity to help others. He never spoke out of place and was always entertaining and easy to talk to. He was smart and quick-witted, just like his mother. He was well-versed in classic literature and knew how to speak in many different languages. He was just so charming, just so sweet, just so perfect….

 

If only they knew how wrong they were.

 

Koushi was relatively normal, if he said so himself. He was a good person, maybe more so than average, but the difference wasn’t so big.

 

It made Koushi cringe whenever he heard the word "perfect" used to describe him. Most people took this reaction as modesty and maybe it was to a certain extent. Yet, the truth of the matter was that Koushi was not the person people made him out to be. They barely knew him and they had already put him on a pedestal.

 

_“It’s because you’re pretty, Suga,” Hinata said when the older boy brought it up._

_“Pretty?” responded Koushi, flustered._

_Hinata cocked his head and the gills on his neck flared. “Yeah! Lots of people think that you are amazing because you are pretty! Like your mom!” The younger boy laughed and swam around in circles around Koushi, pointing out how pretty Koushi was until the older boy was beet red. Kageyama had to drag Hinata away from Koushi, apologizing profusely for red-head’s antics_

 

Koushi couldn’t see himself as pretty, no matter how many times he had been told so by Hinata or others. He felt so plain compared to the rest of his siblings. The only noticeable things he had were the royal marks on his skin, his silver hair, and the mole underneath his right eye. The only reason why he was given so much attention was because he was the eldest and only child of the king and his wife.

Everyone expected great things of him and the only one to blame for their high expectations was Koushi himself. He hated not being the best and always pushed himself hard in his studies. For some odd reason everyone praised him for passing out on his desk studying. Told him that he meant that he was a hard worker. All Koushi could see was that he was losing precious sleep

 

Deep down in his heart that he could never take his father’s place as King of the Seas. He was no leader. He wouldn’t know what to do even if he took a hundred more kingdom-managing classes.

 

If he had a choice, Koushi would have become an advisor or a diplomat. The majority of people who knew him agreed that he suited those roles much better. Koushi was much too sweet and soft for the role of King. He did not have thick-skin like Ennoshita, who took everything in stride and had a snarky reply to all. He lacked Kageyama’s aura of authority and power, which struck fear into the hearts of lesser men. Nor did he have Kiyoko’s aura, gentle and soft but powerful all the same.

 

He was just…. Koushi.

 

Asahi-san would have his tail if he knew that the young prince still thought like that.

 

“Koushi,” said a harsh voice, snapping him out of his reverie.

 

“Y-y-yes?” stammered Koushi, suddenly fully attentive. What had just happened? Where was he again? What day was it again? Koushi really needed to work on spacing out less. What had then been talking about that made him think all those things?

 

His father sighed. “I know that it’s been a long day for you,” Koushi squirmed a little and blushed, “but it is not over yet. Please contain yourself.”

 

“Of course,” said Koushi. “When have I disappointed you?”

 

“Never,” his father mused absent-mindedly. “ You’re such a good son, really. I can’t wait until you take the throne. You’ll make a fine ruler….”

 

Ah, that was it. That was what had made him go on such a long tangent about his imperfections and how average he was.

 

 _Not this again_ , groaned Koushi internally. However, he pushed a smile on his face. “Thank you.”

 

“All we have to do is find you a good queen and I can finally retire happily.”

 

An overly sweet smile wormed it’s way on Koushi’s lips. “A queen?” he asked dubiously. His father had never brought that up before. Koushi had been hoping that he would never mention it, in fact.

 

A queen meant that time as a prince was running short. It meant having to marry someone and stick with them for the rest of his life. It meant finding a girl with whom he would share everything with until death came upon them. It meant commitment and honestly Koushi wasn’t so hot about that idea.

 

The King nodded. “Yes, a queen. You are now going into adulthood and to properly take the throne you must have a wife. How else will our family line continue?” His father’s eyes twinkled as though he were telling a funny joke.

 

Koushi’s stomach flipped. “Silly me,” he replied, still smiling.

 

“Such a bright young fellow, yet so many things go over your head,” said his father, laughing.

 

 _Not so much go over my head as me ignoring them_ , thinks Koushi bitterly, but he keeps it to himself. Now was not the time to act up, even though he really wanted to.

 

 “Well, one can only be good at so many things,” Koushi replied.

 

Koushi’s father laughed harder and slapped Koushi’s back, making the prince surge forward. “How funny you are! You’ll make a fine leader, I’m sure of it.” The King ruffled Koushi’s hair. What was up with people constantly doing that to him? “Now go, there is only one family left and their son does not like to be kept waiting.” The King winks at him conspiratorially.

 

 _Oh, joy_ , thought Koushi bitterly as a bowed to the King.

 

“As you say, Father.” Koushi swam away as fast has he could, hoping that the boy he was to entertain was as tired as he was or at the very least not too pretentious. God knows how many princes felt entitled to be totally complete assholes. Koushi would call them out on it, but he has a public image to maintain. A public image that he built and hated but oh well, what can you do?

 

He wove through halls that snaked their way around the palace. His father probably would have preferred him to go to were some guests were still present but Koushi didn’t have the energy to do so. He needed all he had for this last person. Besides, this was the perfect shortcut to the courtyard.

 

As he went on his way he bumped into a number of friendly faces. Kind servants who had been with him throughout his whole life.

 

“Good evening, Prince Suga!” the called, waving at him as he speed by.

 

“Good evening to you too!” greeted Koushi back.

 

If it hadn’t been for half of these people Koushi surely would have fled the palace as the little boy. Their kindness and perservenrence gave him strength and well as served for him to be the perfect role models. When he was to become king (he didn’t want to be it but he was going to be it) he was going to honor all of these people. Maybe a parade or a feast. Then he would dismiss them and tell them to go do something important with their lives; they had earned it.

 

However, this dream of his was nothing more than that: a dream. The system did not allow for such a thing and the only thing that Koushi could really do was raising their wages and give him better food and clothes. They all deserved so much more than that.

 

 _If only it were easy to hate the people rather than the system_ , thought Koushi tiredly. _It’s so useless to hate on it._

 

He finally arrived to the courtyard where he had been entertaining both guests and the children of said guests all day. It had been an exhausting task and the one he hated the most about being a prince. Koushi would never admit it but he barely managed to keep everyone happy. The only reason why no one had left unhappy was because he always tried his best to converse with them for a minute or so before rushing off to chat with someone else. There were so many to attend to and Koushi was on his own to ensure that their visit to the palace was satisfactory.

 

He had spent a great part of the morning smiling and nodding and (hopefully) looking extremely interested in whatever they had to say. He spoke to so many people that their faces were blurred and mashed up in his mind into one huge, ugly blob. It was a miracle to him that his father managed to know all by name.

 

One by one the guests were called to his father’s throne room and the number of people in the courtyard decreased. However, the young prince was tired and it continually took more and more effort to be pleasing despite the smaller crowd. He had to excuse himself for a moment and escaped into the palace to take a breather at one point.

 

Actually, he had taken many breathers but that was beside the point.

 

Unfortunately, his father requested for his eldest son to be in the throne room to _‘learn how to handle_ _complaints'_. It was hard to leave the area without his father noticing so the young prince had to grit his teeth and smile until his mouth ached, laugh until his chest burned, and tried to make it seem as though he weren’t on verge of passing out due to stress.

 

When only one family was left, his father had requested to talk to his son for a moment. The king had taken him to the hallway outside the throne room and rambled on about how well Koushi was doing and much everyone loved him. Which lead Koushi to think about how imperfect he was, therefore distracting him. It wasn’t as though he had missed anything important, though. It was all useless noise to Koushi in the end. His father had told him that same thing so many times that Koushi could recite by heart what the king was going to say before he even opened his mouth.

 

Koushi shook away all those thoughts. He couldn’t afford to feel upset so late into the gathering. One mistake and he would have to face his father’s wrath and the disappointment of his teachers

 

He pinched his cheeks to give them color and psyche himself up.

 

_C’mon, Sugawara. One more guest and it’s all over._

 

He took in a deep breath to steady himself before poking his head into the courtyard, eyes squeezed shut and smiling. “I’m sorry to you waiting, honored guest,” he said, bowing. “I hope that my absence has not inconvenienced you. I am here to make sure that your visit here is the best it can be.”

 

Silence. Then came an extremely loud followed by an obnoxious and loud laugh that could only belong to one person.

 

Koushi shot up, surprised. “Oikawa!” exclaimed Koushi. His posture looses its stiffness and Koushi lets out a sigh of relief. The smile on his face no longer feels forced. “I-I can’t… Oikawa!”

 

Oikawa tittered with laugher. “No need to be so formal and stiff, Suga-chan!” He wipes the tears of his eyes. “Besides,” he continues, “Oikawa is my father. Tooru is just fine. This only like, what, my umpteenth time telling you that?” He gives Koushi a lopsided grin that leaves Koushi blushing like a madman.

 

“As many times as I see you, I suppose,” replied Koushi sheepishly.

 

Oikawa’s brown eyes widened with fake distress. “But we see each other so often! I don’t think I could manage!” He swooned dramatically and threw himself unto a bench. He lay there, draped on the thing as though he were a damsel in distress.

 

Koushi rolled his eyes. What a drama queen. It was easy to forget that Oikawa come from one of the most illustrious families in the sea. Tooru flashed Koushi his award-winning heart-stealing grin. “Officially, at least. Don't tell me that you forgot that we are neighbors, Suga-chan.”

 

Koushi snickered. "I wish I could forget."

 

"Meanie!" exclaimed Tooru, sticking his tongue out.

 

The boys laughed and Tooru motioned for Koushi to sit next to him. Tooru moved his tail to the side give Koushi some space. As he settled down on the bench to him, Tooru asked, “How has it been? This whole gathering, I mean.”

 

“Stressful,” admitted Koushi, sighing. He yawned loudly, stretching his arms above him. “I’m so tired that I could sleep for days.”

 

Tooru frowned at him sympathetically and flicked away a stray piece of brown hair. Koushi had always admired Tooru’s hair. Tooru had always had a certain flair for fashion and it was noticeable in the way he styled his light brown hair. Tooru said that it was naturally like that, but Koushi couldn’t believe it. How could someone’s hair be so perefect? He was obviously doing something to it. Koushi had wanted a nice hair-do like that. Hell, he had even brought up the topic to Tooru himself. However,  Tooru had laughed it off.

 

 _Suga-chan,_ Tooru had said _, your hair is cute the way it is!_

 

Whatever that meant.

 

Koushi still wanted hair like Tooru’s.

 

“I don’t understand why it’s so enforced,” said Tooru, jolting Koushi back to the present. Tooru pressed his cheek against the bench and drew circles on the marble floor. “It’s such an unnecessary events If anyone had any problems they would send your father a furious message or something. That’s what I would do.”

 

Koushi stifled a laugh. He could only imagine what an angry letter from Tooru would be like. “It’s more of a formality so that he can keep a check on his allies," replied Koushi nonchalantly. “He told me that it helps to keep everyone under his radar.”

 

Tooru wrinkled his nose. “That’s such a dumb under-handed tactic. Wouldn’t it just be easier to always be a good ally?” He looked up at Koushi, who only shrugged. “Suga-chan, you would never do such a thing like that, would you?” He bat his eyelashes at Koushi

 

“I would,” said Koushi, ignoring the scandalized look the other boy gave him. “Keeping tabs on relationships are important, especially for a king. But… I wouldn’t make the event this big, that’s for sure.”

 

“I could have been at home,” whined Tooru. His teal tail pounding the floor. “But _NOOOO_ your father decided to do a gathering and I got dragged into it!” He stuck out his lower lip and pouted angrily at Koushi.

 

“How horrible that must be,” said Koushi dryly. “Must be awful to hang around here the whole day.”

 

Tooru puffed up his cheeks in a childish manner and looked away. “You don’t understand my pain,” he muttered.

 

“And I hope I never do,” muttered Koushi back.

 

“Aw, don’t be like that, Suga-chan! I was just kidding!” Tooru swung around the bench, whacking Koushi in the face, and straightening up. Koushi grumbles and Tooru gave a quick apology. When Koushi still looked pissed off Tooru said, “Touchy subject, huh?”

 

Koushi let out another miserable sigh. “When is it not?" He angrily picked at his tail. "Especially today.” Tooru cocked his head to the side. “My father… my father told me that he expects me to marry and have a queen…”

 

Tooru blinked. “A-a queen? Suga-chan, does he not know that-“

 

“No, he doesn’t know,” snaps Koushi bitterly. Tooru jerks back and Koushi’s stomach twists with guilt. “He’s hell-bent on me marrying some pretty girl of royal blood so that the family line can continue. How can I tell him that I… that I don’t like girls like that?”

 

“Well, you don’t necessarily need to be a girl to have kids,” supplied Tooru helpful.

 

Koushi snorted. “My Father is a Traditionalist. He wouldn’t let me marry a boy even if he could continue the family line.”

 

Tooru peered at him pensively. “You could dress him up a girl?” he suggested. “Or maybe make them look very feminine? Find someone that looks feminine?” When Koushi glared at him Tooru put his hands up. “I’m just voicing my thoughts out loud. I don’t mean to impose or anything.”

 

Koushi shook his head. “It’s fine, Tooru-kun. Don’t worry about it. It’s none of your business and hopefully he won’t bring it up soon.”

 

“Mr. Refreshing doesn’t feel so refreshed, does he?” he said as he played with the tip of his tail.

 

“No, he doesn’t," replies. Koushi ruefully.

 

Tooru senses that Koushi’s mood steadily going down. He changes the subject, hating seeing Suga like this. “You should go up to the human world.”

 

“Not this again,” groaned Koushi, burying his face in his hands.

 

Tooru cracks a smile. “But Suga-chan! It’ll be the perfect opportunity to freshen up! Besides, it’s so pretty and cool up there. I’m sure you’ll like it!”

 

“I can’t do it,” said Koushi hoarsely, taking his face out of his hands and shaking his head. “I belong down here, in the palace."

 

"That's just what they tell you!" insisted Tooru. He moved closer to Koushi, eyes sparkling. "They want to keep you here so that they can trap you into this life. It wouldn’t do them any good if their prince up and left them for somewhere else."

 

"That's a reasonable concern," said Koushi tersely.

 

"But you don't even want to be King!" exclaimed Tooru, throwing his hands up.

 

Koushi balked. Tooru did make a very good point. The only reason why Koushi stuck around was due to duty. If he had the chance, he would have left a long time ago. If someone had told him there were somewhere else he could be he would have jumped at the opportunity.

It really wouldn't hurt to take a peak...

Tooru would be with him, so it wasn’t like he was going alone…

He could ask Ennoshita to...

 

Koushi shook his head, hoping to quell the rebellious thoughts in his head. "No," he said stiffly. I’m not allowed to go to the surface." He hesitated before adding scathingly, "And neither are you for that matter.”

 

Tooru grinned. “The trick is not to get caught and to-“

 

“Oikawa,” Tooru flinched and Koushi nearly took it back. Tooru hated it whenever people he trusted used his last name. However, Koushi really needed him to listen. “Please, no more.”

 

Silence settled over the boys for a brief moment. Koushi turned away from his guest and curled up into a ball. He buried his face in his arms and squeezed his eyes shut.

 

He knew Tooru meant well and was just trying to help him. However, his help was to try and convince Koushi to run away and Koushi didn’t want to do that. Sure, he complained loads about is life but he liked it here. He couldn’t see himself anywhere else. In fact, he didn’t want to think that there were somewhere else that he could be.

 

Tooru also didn’t realize how hard it would be to explain the situation if he did get caught. It was easy for Tooru because he always been himself: bratty, spoiled flirtatious, loud, kind, ambitious, observant and caring. It was easy to figure why Tooru had broken the rules.

 

But Koushi? Koushi was the good child, the one that parents everywhere wanted their kids to be like. What would he tell his siblings if they found out what he did? What would he tell his _father_? _What would he tell the kingdom?_

 

It was a headache that Koushi really wanted to avoid.

 

“Hello? Sea to Suga-chan? You still in there?” Tooru tapped his shoulder.

 

Koushi’s head shot up. “Oh, hm?”

 

Tooru rolls his eyes. “As I was saying, I’m really worried about you, Suga-chan. You’ve been getting worse and worse every time I see you.” Koushi makes a face and Tooru sighs. “Look, I get it that you don’t want to go against your father and all that, but you need to take care of yourself. When was the last time you were selfish or just allowed yourself to actually live?”

 

“T-that… that is none of your concern,” was Koushi's muffled answer, his whole face was a brilliant shade of red. He curled up again in an attempt to hide from Tooru’s unwavering gaze.

 

He could hear the pout in Tooru’s voice. “Yes, it is because you matter to me, Kou-chan.”

 

Koushi’s head shot up at the nickname. “Kou-chan?” he asked, looking over his shoulder with raised eyebrows. “That’s a new one.”

 

Tooru grinned broadly. “I think it suits you,”

 

“But Kou is a-“

 

“Shush, it is delicate and beautiful just like you.”

 

“But I’m not-“

 

“Just allow yourself to be complimented,” said Tooru.

 

Koushi didn’t put up a fuss about it. The last thing he wanted was to waste precious energy by fighting Tooru.

 

The conversation soon started to flow between the two and Koushi felt himself ease up again. He uncurled himself and stretched which earned him a poke in the stomach. Koushi squealed and poked Tooru back. Before he knew it, it had escalated into a full-out war. They swam around wildly, evading each other and dodging obstacles.  Koushi found himself drunk on adrenaline. It was like they were kids again and Koushi found himself forgetting about the hard day’s work and slipping into a playful mindset.

 

Tooru was right. Koushi really did need to learn how to loosen up and indulge himself.

 

The game ended when Koushi was out of breath, wheezing from laughter. He flopped down unceremoniously on one of the benches to take a quick break only to be tackled unto the floor by Tooru. They wrestled for a while until Koushi gave up and allowed himself to be tickled mercilessly by the other.

 

“My hair is all messed up!” complained Tooru once they had settled down.

 

“It’s your own fault,” snorted Koushi, his own hair disheveled. He ran his fingers through the silvery strands and hoped that he looked presentable.

 

“It’s gonna take forever for it to go back to normal!” wailed Tooru as his pat his hair down. Koushi snickered at his failed attempts which earned him a large-eyed puppy-dog face from Tooru. “This isn’t funny, Suga-chan!” He puffed up in his cheeks in an attempt to look angry but Koushi just couldn’t take him seriously and ended up laughing harder.

 

“So mean, Suga-chan!”

 

“I’m sorry,” wheezed Koushi, not feeling sorry at all. “Your vanity is just ridiculous.”

 

Tooru did his best to look offended. “Ennoshita-san has been rubbing off on you,” he grumbled.

 

“I’ve always been like this,” said Koushi with a wave of his hand. “I just don’t get to show it off as much as Chikara does.”

 

“Hm,” hummed Tooru, still trying to fix his hair. They sat in silence and found peace in listening to the soft mummer of the ocean. Fish swam past them lazily and a few of them even approached Koushi and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

 

“You’re so loved,” said Tooru after one particularly shy fish kissed the young prince.

 

“I… I wouldn’t say that,” replied Koushi, blushing. “It’s more out of respect, I think.”

 

“I bet they would do it even if you weren’t a prince,” proclaimed Tooru. “You’re just such a good person in general.”

 

“You flatter me too much,” murmured Koushi, a small smile flitting on his lips.

 

“Such a good person, in fact, that you would totally agree to going to the surface with me.”

_And just when we were getting comfortable again,_ lamented Koushi.

 

Koushi sighed. “Tooru-kun, I can’t just-“

 

Tooru raised his hands in a manner to pacify Koushi. “I understand but please, consider it?  I-I really want to show you something…”

 

Now Tooru had Koushi’s interest.

 

“What… what did you see up there?” whispered Koushi in awe.

 

Tooru only gave him a mischievous smirk.

 

“Little brother!” The two boys turned to see the Oikawa family coming towards them, Koushi’s father in tow. They all looked similar to Tooru; slender limbs, tails with shades with blue, curly brown hair, and soft brown eyes. His older sister, Arisu, if Koushi wasn’t mistaken, looked almost just like her younger brother. However she radiated strength, power, and a no-nonsense attitude, so unlike Tooru’s casually demeanor.

 

(The only time Tooru was like that was when he was playing a serious game.)

 

“That’s my cue,” said Tooru, winking. “It was great talking to you! Don’t be a stranger and feel free to visit or just talk to me!  Think about my offer, okay?” Tooru flashed Koushi a peace sign and went over to join his family. Koushi followed in suit and settled by his father’s side.

“Thank you for everything,” said Arisu, placing a hand on Tooru’s shoulder. Tooru beamed and bowed to

the Sugawaras.

 

“It was my pleasure,” rumbled the king, bowing back. “Come again soon.”

 

“In due time,” replied Arisu, bowing and then turning around. The rest of the Oikawa’s followed her, Tooru bringing the rear. Before they were out of sight Tooru spun around and waved at Koushi. Koushi gave him his own wave. Tooru might have said something, but Koushi was too far away to hear it.

 

“Problematic, that family,” said Koushi’s after the Oikawas had left. “They might take over if we aren’t careful.”

 

 _They might take over you_ , thought Koushi. “Tooru’s nice enough and his sister isn’t all that bad. I can tell that she holds respect for you."

 

“She better. They’re troublesome tell you.”

 

What his father say did hold some truth. Koushi thought back to what Tooru had said about going to the surface and all the times he had suggested doing other things of the sort. Tooru had always been mischievous. But Koushi like that.

 

 _Oikawas are trouble_ , thought Koushi as he followed his father back into the palace. _But maybe trouble is what I need._

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *arrives late with starbucks* This is what I get for starting three projects all at the same time forgive me
> 
> Please take dork prince Daichi and company as a peace offering.

 

Sawamura Daichi was the perfect example of what a prince should be.

 

Everything about him was flawless from his dashing good looks and courageous attitude. He was a natural-born leader who from a tender age had demanded authority and respect. He made decisions rapidly and intelligently. He fought as well as any knight and some argued that he was better than all knights all together. He could hold a conversation with any scholar throughout the land. He was so full of potential that many believed that he would be even greater than his father.

 

Daichi didn't think so.

 

In fact, he wasn't sure if he would even be able to fill in his father’s shoes.

 

Don't get him wrong, Daichi wasn't unhappy with his position in life. He loved being a prince and felt comfortable in his own skin. He did as he pleased and presented himself as he was because he knew that he would be accepted.

 

But Daichi was scared nevertheless. It was only thing to play as a ruler and another to actually be a ruler.

 

He knew he wasn’t ready.

 

Life, however, thought otherwise. His father had been struck with a terrible illness that had left him bedridden and therefore unable to attend to his royal duties. His mother had taken over the kingdom but she had decided to give Daichi some say in kingdom affairs.

 

Though nervous, Daichi did what he could to the best of his abilities. He listened to the peasants problems and tried to find solutions. He went on diplomatic visits to other kingdoms near the area in order to secure allies and trade. He even helped advise his mother in the creation of new laws.

 

Daichi thought that he handled everything well.

 

Or had he?

 

What if he hadn't? I mean, he was able to find a spring full of clean water for the village at the edge of the mountain, but what if the water ran out? What if it wasn't actually that clean? What if the whole village was sick but didn't say anything because they didn't want to experience the wrath of their prince, unhappy about their ungratefulness?!

 

Had it been correct to bow like that in front of Kuroo-san from Nekoma? Had he been formal enough? Thinking about it know, the Kuroo-san had been pretty informal… Oh no. Had he been too stiff? What if Kuroo-san thought that he was stick in the mud? How would he be able to continue to have an alliance with Nekoma if the prince thought that he was too cold?!

 

Don't get him started on those laws. Had all of them been necessary? Had he signed the ones that were needed the most? Had he rejected all the bad ones? What if he hadn't done that? What if he signed some stupid law like “No bread making after seven'”? What if he accidentally made bread illegal all together?!

 

What if-

 

“Sawamura, you’re staring off into space again.”

 

Daichi snapped his head to the source of the voice, giving himself whiplash. “Hm? Oh, sorry, Iwaizumi.”

 

Iwaizumi only sighed. “You need to sleep more. I haven’t see you this out of it since your schooling had started.”

 

Observant as always, thought Daichi with begrudging respect. “I’m fine,” he insisted.

 

Iwaizumi shot him a harsh glare before turning around and throwing another stone into the water. The two boys watched it as it sailed across air and skipped twice on the surface of the dark blue ocean. Iwaizmi furrowed his brow and scrunched up his nose in disgust. “Only two,” he said scathingly, shaking his head. He sat down besides Daichi and scanned the area for other rocks that he could throw back in the dark abyss that was the ocean.

 

The water lapped gently at Daichi’s sore feet and the breeze sprayed the ocean scent all over him. He leaned back against the boulder and allowed himself to close his eyes. He felt around with his other senses. Above him he could hear a flock of seagulls and below him was the soft chatter of the sea. The boulder was rough but smooth in all the right places and the sun had warmed its surface to Daichi’s favorite temperature. To his side he could hear his friend shuffling around, muttering the occasional curse as he searched for another stone.

 

It was a perfect, beautiful day.

 

But Daichi couldn’t bring himself to enjoy it.

 

He sighed loudly and opened his eyes. “Iwaizumi?”

 

“Yeah?” answered Iwaizumi in a distracted voice.

 

“Could I… could I ever truly be a good leader?”

 

Iwaizumi stopped shuffling around. He turned around to face Daichi, squinting at his face. Iwaizumi leaned down to his face, his nose scrunched up. Iwaizumi flicked Daichi's forehead.

 

“Ow!” Daichi complained, scowling and rubbing the sore spot.

 

“Idiot,” chided Iwaizumi, looking bored. “You’ll make a great leader, don’t worry about.” Iwaizumi let out an irritated puff of air and went back to searching for the perfect stone.

 

Daichi glared at Iwaizumi's back for a long time.

 

Son of a bitch was going to pay.

 

He waited until the knight-in-training had tottered over closer to the edge of the boulder, near the ocean. Dachi rose from his spot and creeped to Iwaizumi, carefully as to not alert the other of his approach.

 

Iwaizumi leaned in closer to the water.

 

Daichi smirked.

 

The prince then promptly shoved his friend into the sea.

 

Gently, mind you. Daichi wasn’t a monster.

 

He watched in satisfaction as Iwaizumi flailed around in the water below, sputtering and spewing about curses left and right.

 

“Oops,” said Daichi when Iwaizumi had finally crawled out of the sea and onto the boulder. The spiky haired boy glared daggers at the prince but said nothing.

 

Iwaizumi took off his shirt and wrung it over Daichi’s head, drenching the prince. Daichi looked up at him eyes the size of saucers. “Oops,” said Iwaizumi, shaking the shirt in his direction as well.

 

Daichi bat the shirt away, grumbling under his breath. He bit the inside of his cheek in order to quell the retort rising in his throat. He had deserved it and he was going to take it.

 

The friends sat side-by-side in silence for a moment. They ran their fingers through their hair and did their best to dry themselves off. Occasionally they’d flick some water at each other and curse loudly, but was all done playfully. Besides, even if he wanted to, Daichi could never be mad at Iwaizumi.

 

 

“I heard about Michimiya,” Iwaizumi said after a while.

 

Daichi stared at him in horror. “H-how did you-“

 

“I overheard some people talking about it in the courtyard during sword practice. They probably thought it was just a silly rumor but since you had mentioned something about it before-”

 

“You know I can’t marry her,” cut in Daichi. “She’s like my sister! I can’t possibly… and I don’t…” He took in a deep breath and continued without a shaky voice. “I love her so much, Iwaizumi. But my love for her is purely brotherly and I shouldn’t have said that I loved her to my parents it’s the perfect chance for them to expand the kingdom because by marrying her I also get her throne. But I can’t do that! I don’t know how she feels about me but I know for a fact that she would hate an arranged marriage, even if she liked the guy-“

 

“Whoa, slow down,” said Iwaizumi, putting a hand up.

 

“This is extremely important, Iwaizumi. I can’t just- I have no say-“

 

“You do have a say in this.”

 

“I don’t and that’s the problem. Look, I don’t live the same life you do. Maybe you have more freedom in your choices but I don’t. Oh God, I sound like I’m complaining about my life. Please don’t get me wrong, I love what I do its just that… I dunno… sometimes it feels like I can’t do anything for myself.”

 

Iwaizumi studied him. “Tell you what,” he said slowly after a few heartbeats. “Talk to your mother about it and she might be able to convince your father to change it. Also, tell Michimiya how you feel as well if you haven’t already. I’m sure you two can work something out.”

 

“But her parents want to for this work. It’ll help both of our kingdoms,” Daichi insisted, throwing his hands up.

 

Iwaizumi shrugged. “Then marry her if it’s so important to you.”

 

“I already told you, I don’t see her that way.”

 

“Well, you’re going to have a chose,” pointed out Iwaizumi. “Either you’re going to do what you want or what you are expected to do.”

 

Daichi hated his friend so, so, so much. He wanted to punch Iwaizumi in the face and give him a black eye.

“I can’t do that,” seethed Daichi angrily. “You know I can’t.”

 

“What’s going to be, Sawamura? Your pride or your duty?” Iwaizumi slipped his shirt back on, still damp from his unexpected swim. “I gotta go, Daichi. Think it over and come back to me when you do.” Daichi watched Iwaizumi pick himself up and stretch. Iwaizumi gave him a small wave before turning his back and leaving Daichi alone with his thoughts.

 

Daichi being alone with his thoughts was never a good thing. He tended to overanalyze, overthink the situation. The more Daichi thought about it the more stressed out he got.

 

However, Iwaizumi, as always, had a very valid point. In the end Daichi would either chose his duty or himself. There really was no way around it.

 

Daichi hated it when Iwaizumi made sense.

 

The prince looked out glumly into the sea.

 

Marrying Michimiya wasn’t all that _bad_. She was pretty and had a good sense of humor, which Daichi really liked. She respected Daichi, knew him better than his own parents did. If he had to choose someone else to lean on other than Iwaizumi he would definitely choose her. She was smart, strong, and great. She would make a lovely bride, a great daughter-in-law, and an amazing queen.

 

But Daichi just couldn’t picture himself being her husband. He had known her since infancy and watched her grow up into the person she was. She was his best friend, his confidant, the sister he never had. You couldn’t marry family. That was disgusting. Also they were expected to have children.

 

_CHILDREN_.

 

He couldn’t see himself going on a date with her much less having and raising _children_ with her.

 

He slumped down on the boulder and groaned loudly.

 

He hated his life so much right now.

 

He laid there for what seemed to be an eternity before picking himself up and going back into the palace. He shoved his hands into his pockets and grumbled angrily to himself, kicking up dirt and dust as he went. He was out in normal clothes, thank goodness, so none of the peasants seemed to recognize him and seemed to label him as an average melodramatic teenager.

 

Which was he, mind you.

 

As the palace came into view, Daichi straightened his back out and put his best foot forward.

 

It would do him no good if he appeared to be glum in front of the servants. He had to shove any of his own personal troubles away. He had a reputation to uphold and Daichi wasn't going to let this be the thing that brought him down.

 

He waved at the guard in the watchtower and watched as the guard signaled to others that he had arrived. Daichi wondered what it was like to have a prince that left the palace so much that they had to set up a special watch guards just for him. He hoped that they were paid well. If not, when Daichi became king, they were the first people to get a raise.

 

The grand doors creaked opened, allowing Daichi to enter the courtyard. The prince waved his thanks and the door creaked shut. When he turned back around, a servant already stood in front of him.

 

That was quick, he thought, as he looked at the girl fondly.

 

“Sawamura-sama,” she said, bowing. Daichi took interest in her light blonde hair, today pulled up in a side ponytail. He frowned when he noticed that her uniform was too big on her.

 

I could have sworn that I told someone to fix that, he thought.

 

“We have been waiting for you to return,” she continued, head still down.

 

Daichi laughed a little. “Pick your head up, Yacchan. Sorry for making you wait. And please, just Daichi is fine.”

 

Yachi's head shot up, her cheeks a brilliant scarlet. “N-n-no, sir. I-I-I must a-always s-show resp-pect-“

 

“Well you can respect but still call me Daichi, okay?” Daichi scratched the back of his neck. “Sawamura-sama makes me feel like an old man.”

 

“D-d-dachi-san?” she ventured.

 

He sighed. “Close enough.”

 

“Daichi-san,” she said a little more firmly and Daichi couldn’t help but smile. “I, uh, your mother-“

 

Daichi deflated. “She wants to talk about the marriage, doesn’t she?” he had been hoping that he would have a little bit of time to collect himself before he had to approach his mother on the subject.

 

Yachi gave him a weak smile. “I-I know that you don’t like Michimiya-sama like that. I-I really am sorry that you might have to… marry her.”

 

“It’s most likely going to happen,” replied Daichi in a defeated tone. “It’s what is best for both kingdoms and even if I don’t like it I’ll do it, so don’t feel bad about it, Yachan. None of this is your fault.”

 

She gulped nervously and nodded. “I-I know. But you look so miserable…”

 

Daichi’s heart swelled with affection for the younger girl. He hugged her tightly and she squeaked in response. “Thank you for worrying about me. I really mean it.”

 

“It’s-it’s my job to make sure that you are happy and now you aren’t and there seems to be nothing I can do-“

 

“Trust me, saying that you see me look miserable makes me happy. It means that you are looking out for me. You know that if anything happens I’ll tell you about it, right?” She nodded vigorously. Daichi let go of her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Now, lets go see what Her Majesty, the mother, has to talk to me about.” Yachi seemed a little surprised by how informally he addressed the queen but smiled, happy with the way the prince had perked up.

 

“Follow me than, Daichi-san!” She said, skipping ahead of Daichi. Daichi had to got into a light trot in order to catch up with her.

 

They entered what the peasants called the Grand Palace.

 

Daichi just calls it home.

 

Expect they didn't enter through the fancy golden doors with the guards with the black uniform. Nor did they go through the majestic garden, chock-full of exotic plants and bursting with color. They didn't even go through the peasants door, where twice a week was full of peasants, waiting their turn to speak with royalty.

 

No, he and Yachi slipped to the back of the palace and raced through the small, twisting hallways that servants generally used. Daichi had insisted them to let him use these hallways because it got him to his destination faster than the normal routes. Also, he hated making such a big deal of using such grand entrances. So what if was of royal blood? In the end it just meant that one of his ancestors was a little smarter than the rest, a better leader than the rest. When he was crowned king, one of his first acts will be to break down that stupid hierarchy.

 

For now, though, he found pleasure in his slight rebellion of the norm, following Yachi through the servant's passages.

 

He saw a number of people he knew and he greeted them as he flew past them. They all waved back at him and said, “Welcome back, Prince Daichi!” One the younger ones even followed him, wanting to make sure Daichi got a proper welcome, before being dragged away by his mother who blushed and stuttered an apology. Daichi only laughed and gave the little kid a smile which the young boy returned eagerly.

 

“You’re so cool, Daichi-san,” mumbled Yachi as they burst out of door an into the ballroom.

 

“You’re cool too, Yachan,” said Daichi without missing a beat. The two had started to slow down, resuming a normal gait.

 

Yachi blushed. “I-I-I’m really not. You’re too kind.”

 

Daichi gently nudged her with his hip and she let out a yelp as she nearly fell. “Don’t be so harsh on yourself!” he reprimanded. “You’re a wonderful artist, for example.”

 

“You’ve seen my drawings?” she asked in an awed whisper.

 

Daichi nodded. “I have. Ryuu showed me them.”

 

“Tanaka-senpai?!” The poor girl looked terrified as she looked up at Daichi, her face a bright red.

 

_Bet he gets a kick out of hearing her say senpai_ , thought Daichi darkly. He was going to have to have serious talk with the kitchen boy. “Yeah. He was awfully excited to show them to me and quite honestly I could see why. You have talent! If you want I could comission you do some pieces. The extra money would be nice and now the Palace would have a couple of nice, new painting. God knows how ugly the old ones are now.“

 

“D-d-daichi-san, it’s okay! You don’t have too-“

 

Daichi raised a hand. “Just think about it, okay? I don’t want you to waste any potential you have and if I can help I will gladly do so.”

 

Yachi could barely contain her smile as she threw herself at Daich saying _‘thank you, Daichi-san!’_ and _‘You’re the best!’_ and ‘ _You’re too kind!’_ Daichi only laughed and hugged, feeling warmth course through his body. There was nothing that made him happier than helping others. He gently pat her back as a ways to tell her to release him. Although he didn't care about a servant touching him, many did not feel the same and he would like to avoid getting Yachi into any trouble.

 

Yachi let go of him and bounced away, chattering about how wonderful her prince was. Daichi felt the red on his cheeks swell as her praises increased. He loved to her to death but she really could lay off on all the praises.

 

He turned away from her for a second and admired the ballroom. Daichi didn’t enter this part of the palace a lot, so he constantly found himself in awe of it. It had a sky-high ceiling with art in beautiful hues gold and white hues, a shiny tile floor that was so clean that it could have been a mirror, and an elegant Grand Staircase that seemed to take up half the room. Its sheer elegance always sucked Daichi’s breath away. He gingerly walked on the tiles, not wanting to ruin such perfection. Who knew how long it had taken to get it to this state?

 

He and Yachi climbed up the Grand Staircase and Daichi was filled up with fond memories of sliding down it on mattresses with Michimiya when they were little kids. They'd have a servant stand at the bottom and time them, as well as tell them who had won in all their races. Michimiya usually won, but Daichi suspects it was because she was lighter than he was.

 

Yachi took him through another door, another hallway used by servants.

 

“This one will take us near the Queen's room,” she explained, lighting a torch and handing it to him. “Sorry that it's so dark in here.”

 

“That's fine. I'll find a way to improve it once I take the throne.”

 

“You're too kind, Daichi-san,” said Yachi, shaking her head and leading him through the dark passage.

 

Just like she had promised, they end up almost right outside the Queen's room. Daichi watched as she slid in a bookcase to cover up the hole in the wall.

 

“Amazing. You would never know that it was there,” he commented.

 

“That's the point!” Yachi said, fluffing up her dress and taking the torch out of Daichi's hand. “Most of the time royals hate seeing servants come and go. With this they don't have to worry about that! It's nice for us too because it is faster to get to places through there. Anyways, follow me!” Diachi trailed behind her as she took him to the Queen's room.

 

Despite its grandeur, Daichi had never liked his mother's room. Maybe it was the stark contrast between the room and the person that inhabited it that made him ill. The bedroom was huge and full of soft, warm colors. His mother, on the other hand, was small and cold. He didn't really have many fond memories of it either.

 

Yachi seemed to notice his unease and asked, “Daichi-san? Are you alright?”

 

“M'fine, Yacchan. Thank you for all of your hard work today,” said Daichi, resting a hand on her shoulder.

 

The blonde waved a hand dismissively. “It’s the least I could do!” She looked up at him with beautiful, wide eyes. “But if you aren't feeling well, I suggest that you go to your room and rest. There is no need to talk to the Queen right now. I'll tell her that you aren't feeling well at the moment.”

 

“Yacchan, you are the best personal servant that I could ever have. Thank you for your concern, but I'll manage. Could you stay out here, though? If anything happens I will need to talk to someone about it.”

 

“Okay! I'll go and see if Iwaizumi-kun is free and-”

 

Daichi shook his head. “No, no. Not him. I would like to talk to you.”

 

Her eyes went even wider. “Me?!” she squeaked, flailing her arms around. “But I'm just a personal servant! There is no reason why you would share your woes with me! You're problems are much too important for me to know!”

 

“That's not true,” Daichi said. “We are only a few years apart and I've already told you about many things. Don't think of it like I'm boss or anything like that.” He tapped his chin. “Think of it as a friend trusting a friend.”

 

“Sir… you think of me as your friend?” she said, voice going incredily high.

 

“I don't see why not! I tell you everything anyways and you've supported me for so long. That's what friend do, right? I don't see why we can't call our relationship 'friendship'.”

 

Yachi looked at the ground. “I'm friends with the prince,” she whispered to herself, grinning.

 

“We've been friends for a while,” Daichi replied, laughing. “But could you do that for me?”

 

“Yes! Of course! Anything for you!” she exclaimed. She made a shooing motion. “Now go talk to the Queen!”

 

Daichi nodded his agreement. He gave her one last smile before opening the door to his mother's bedroom.

 

Daichi closed the door and looked around the spacious room until he found his mother seated on her bed, reading a parchment. He straightened himself up before stiffly walking over to her. “Mother,” he said, bowing.

 

His mother looked up and smiled at him. “Daichi, dear. So good to see you! Please, sit down. I was just looking over the agreement papers for your marriage with Yui.”

 

Daichi felt his heart pound painfully against his chest. He forced himself to smile. “I see. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that-“

 

“Isn’t it great?” His mother gushed. “Yui-san is the perfect bride for you. You have known since you were little children so you aren’t marrying a stranger! Her parents are totally for it and their people are too! Both families and kingdoms will reap great benefits from this. And Yui is such a lovely lady as well. You should see you two side-by-side. You make quite a lovely couple.” She sighed dreamily.

 

“It's wonderful that you think so,” Daichi said, struggling to keep a smile on his face. “I came here to to tell you that-”

 

“See, Daichi, I’ve called you here because you need to know that your father’s condition has been deemed terminal,” his mother continued, completely ignoring her son.

 

“Terminal?!” Daichi choked, his head spinning. The illness couldn't be terminal! The doctors had assure him that his father would recover! There was no way his father was to die. “But I thought-“

 

“We all thought,” said his mother gently, “that he would make it. Alas, he is getting worse as we speak. They have given him a year at most.”

 

Daichi looked at his mother, wondering how she could be so calm while delivering such awful news. “You’re joking,” was all Daichi managed to squeeze out.

 

“Why would I joke about something so serious? At any rate I will take over the kingdom once he is dead but I don’t have that much time left. That is why it is essential that you marry Yui. By uniting the kingdoms we increase our economy and territory, which we have been meaning to do for a long time.” His mother hummed happily as Daichi gulped. “Also, two honorable bloodlines will unite which will give both our family names more power. It’ll be easier to invade others and have them submit to us.”

 

Daichi blinked. “But father said-“

 

“Your father is dying, Daichi, and I’m in charge. Our kingdom needs to expand and this is the perfect opportunity to do so.” His mother grinned at him. “Don’t you agree?”

 

Daichi smiled weakly. “I do.”

 

“Hm, I knew that you would say that! You do take after me after all! This kingdom is much too small for you at the moment. But fear not, Daichi, after the wedding and when I'm through with this kingdom you will inherit the greatest territory in all the land! Now, you said that you wanted to say something about the marriage with Yui?”

 

_So she had heard me,_ he thought darkly.

 

However, Daichi’s mouth turned dry as he stared at his mother. He had always known that his mother was more ambitious than the average person. If any of her new laws and obession with creating alliances hinted towards anything. She had always been more in favor of running people over to get what she wants. Daichi had always his mother's authority, but he had never liked the way she chose to execute her plans. A lot of people died at the hands of the Queen. Never intentionally, his mother loved her subjects, but a lost life was a lost life and she was reason why they lost.

 

But it was the end of the line that she would be this calculating and selfish. She knew that Daichi didn't feel ready to handle the land that they did have. How was he to lead an even bigger kingdom? Not only that, those that have been invaded would probably hate him for his mother's deeds. He'd rise to the throne and have to deal with rebellions right off the bat! Things were complicated as it was with having people rioting in the streets.

 

Also, how could she seem to emotionless to his father's eventual death? Sure, it had been an arranged marriage but the King had been nothing short of nice to his wife. He indulged in all her requests, gave her the finest clothes, gave her a strong son. And here she was, announcing his death like it was nothing! Looked like Daichi would have to mourn his death even more to make up for his mother's apathy.

 

Daichi felt sick to his stomach. How could he tell her that he didn’t want to marry Yui? With the ways she's been acting, she's likely to throw him out of the palace! She might even disown him! How on earth can he tell the Queen that he does not want to marry his best friend?!

 

“When will I see her?” he asked instead, forcing a smile.

 

“A month’s time.” the Queen answered, glee written all over her face. “You must prepare yourself for her arrival. I already have set up some classes for you. You must refine a number of things, but it is nothing that cannot be fixed within a month.”

 

“Refine?” Daichi asked, miffed. He had spent his whole life taking classes to 'refine' his skills. He had just finished up those a year ago! What did his mother mean that he had to 'refine' himself? What was he doing wrong?

 

His mother hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, you are almost perfect. When I’m done with you our kingdom will have a perfect king and a perfect queen, much more than what our kingdom had under your father and I.” She put her paper aside and cupped one of Daichi’s cheeks. She looked him straight in the eye and whispered, “I want to give you only the best, my dear Daichi. With this I can be assured that you will get just that.”

 

Daichi’s heart dropped as he stared into his mother’s unwavering eyes. Her tone was soft and sweet, the own that most people would associate with a loving voice.

 

It was not.

 

It was determination and her own passion.

 

She wanted what was best for her kingdom, not for her son or for her husband. All of the plans that she was setting up was help further her own wants, not those of the Kings's and certainly not Daichi's.

 

Maybe she used her son as an excuse. Said that she wanted best for him to make people think that she was a good and nice mother and Queen. But the reality of the situation was not that. His mother was ambitious to a fault and it wouldn't really surprise Daichi that she would manipulate him to get what she wanted.

 

Daichi wanted to throw up.

 

“Thank you,” was all he was able to muster. His mother smiled at him knowingly.

 

“Such a good boy. Now run along. I give you the rest of the day off to do as you please. Your classes start tomorrow so remember to sleep well.”

 

“Of course, thank you.” Daichi bowed at his mother awkwardly before walking out the room. He closed the door and leaned against it, staring helplessly up at the ceiling.

 

“Daichi-san?” asked Yachi, looking worried. She fidgeted with the extinguished torch in her hands. “Are you alright? Were you able to talk to her.”

 

_You do have a say in this_

 

_Bullshit!_ Daichi wanted to scream at the top of his lungs.

 

“He lied,” muttered Daichi instead, clenching his fists.

 

“I'm sorry?” asked Yachi, torn between edging closer to him or giving him his space.

 

The prince turned to her, eyes wide and wild. “Iwaizumi. He lied to me, Yacchan. He told me I had a choice, that I had a say in all of this.”

 

“But in the end, you do?” said Yachi. “You're the one that's going to inherit the kingdom after all.”

 

Daichi shook his head. “No, no one understands. No one gets it. I can't-I can't do anything! I have no right, no choice, no say! Don't you get it, Yacchan? Don't you understand?!”

 

Daichi had been taught to never cry. It wasn't manly and it didn't suit someone of his stature. If he was to cry he had to do it in private and for a few minutes, tops. Daichi had never been prone to tears to begin with anyways, so that was any easy rule to keep.

 

But standing outside of his mother's room, being faced with the reality that he had no power over the situation, he found himself crying. He cried bitter, salty tears because for the first time ever he had no control over his future, of who he was to be.

 

He wasn't a loud crier, thank god. He was silent and stoic even in his distress.

 

Yet he could feel the way his face twisted and crumpled. He could taste the tears and feel them drip down his cheek and splatter onto the floor. He could already visualize the red eyes his would have and the tear streaks on his cheek.

 

Yachi stared at him, frozen in horror. “Daichi-san?”

 

“I don't have a choice, Yacchan. I don't have any say.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am for how late this is???? Hopefully updates won't be this far in between. 
> 
> Anyways, you can catch me on tumblr @totally-not-addicted or on twitter @TNAhere so we can talk about Haikyuu and all that jazz
> 
> See you in the update!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has been getting so much positive attention!?!! I can't really thank all your guys enough for your love so far. :-: 
> 
> Hope that you enjoy this chapter!

Koushi was late and his father was going to be _pissed_.

 

It was all Koushi’s fault too, although he wish he could argue that it wasn’t.

 

The night after the gathering Koushi had laid in bed twisting and turning. Oikawa's offer to go visit him had plagued him for the rest of the day. His father's words had also struck a chord deep in him and stuck with him just as much as Oikawa's offer.

 

What he wanted to do versus what he was expected to do. What would Koushi chose? So far it had been the latter but how long would it take before Koushi burst and did something selfish? Something that he wanted to do? Gong to the surface had never been a huge goal of his but he would lying if he had never felt curious about it. Oikawa's stories about it only strengthened this feelings.

 

But he couldn't turn his back on the kingdom just for some silly adventures. He was to be strong and be a strong leader, just like his father. However, this was at the cost of his personal happiness.

 

What was happiness anyways? Koushi may have felt it, long ago.

 

He is snapped out of that train of thought when his siblings burst into the bedroom.

 

Well, they weren’t exactly siblings per say. The only thing that binded them as a family was the king’s signature on a piece of paper that stated that they were his. None of them were related by blood and Koushi was the only one related to the king. However Ennoshita, Noya, and Kageyama were of royal blood of some sort that were abandoned as children. The rest were either of peasant or unknown blood. The king had taken them in either out of pity or duty and turned to Koushi to raise them. Something about it helping him deal with other's later on in his life.

 

Although it had originally been set up as a task, it had never felt like such. He loved his adoptive family beyond compare and found pleasure in watching them grow up and guiding them.

 

First to burst into the room were no other than Kageyama and Hinata, bickering as always. Koushi shot up from his bed and looked on in amusement as the two playfully pushed each other around.

 

“It was all your fault!” whined Hinata, pinching Kageyama’s cheek.

 

The taller boy smacked Hinata’s hand away. “Don’t say such a thing, dumbass! It was all your fault because you too loud!”

 

“Me? Too loud?” said Hinata incredulously. He put a hand on his heart. “Why, Kageyama, I never-“

 

“Also you’re too orange and bright. You were too easy to spot,” Kageyama continued, positively fuming. Koushi hid a grin behind his hand.

 

Hinata’s gills flared and he puffed up his cheek looking like an orange pufferfish just waiting to explode. “I can’t control that! Also, I put on a disguise!”

 

“Putting a pot over your head isn't any sort of disguise,” Kageyama scoffed.

 

“Well, at least I wasn’t the one that thought a stupid hat and sunglasses would make me unrecognizable,” Hinata retorted.

 

Kageyama lunged for Hinta’s head, eyes screaming murder. Hinata evaded his attack and quickly shot over to Koushi. “Suga!” Hinata cried as he hid behind Koushi, quivering in fear. “Kageyama is doing his scary face!”

 

“I was born with this face!” seethed Kageyama, glaring daggers at Hinata. The smaller boy shrunk even more behind Koushi.

 

It was all Koushi could do not the snicker. Oh man, did he love the childish fights these two got into. It distracted him from wallowing in his puddle of self-pity and proved to be a great show. You couldn't make up half of the arguments they had had.

 

“Hush now, both of you. What exactly happened?”

 

Hinata perked up. “I wanted meat buns from the kitchen! But we weren’t allowed near it so we tried to sneak in but that didn’t work all because Bakageyama here-“

 

“It was not me, I swear,” said Kageyama hurriedly, looking panicked. For someone with such a serious face and bad reputation Kageyama was much more likely to be scared of others than to scare others. Kageyama was especially scare of Koushi, for some odd reason.

 

“Are you kidding? It was so you,” Hinata snorted, peering over Koushi's shoulder and sticking his tongue out at Kageyama. Kageyama glared at him. Hinata let out a squeak and went back to hiding behind Koushi.

 

Koushi held up his hands in order to placate the boys. “You know,” Koushi said, “you could have just asked a servant to sneak some out for you. They would have done so gladly. That or you could have asked Noya or Asahi.”

 

The two younger boys deflated. “Suga's so smart. Why didn’t I think of that?” grumbled Hinata underneath his breath.

 

“You’re a dumbass, that’s why,” quipped Kageyama.

 

“I'll fight you for that!” declared Hinata, popping up and balling his fights whilst making fighting gestures in Kageyama's direction.

 

Kageyama narrowed his eyes. “I'd like to see you try.”

 

And off they went again in another round of squabbling, Hinata's fear of Kageyama dissolving into the water. Koushi watched them in silence, taking them both in. Fights between the them weren’t uncommon but Koushi had noticed that their fights recently had been much more tame. At least on Kageyama’s side.

 

Koushi had always been worried about Kageyama. He was the newest addition to the family and Koushi knew that he struggled getting along with others. Koushi supposed it was the effect of being an only child in a formerly prosperous kingdom. Kitagawa Daiichi had been one of the most illustrious kingdoms of all times only to go bankrupt due to bad management. Ashamed of what had happened, Kageyama’s parents had abandoned the kingdom and forced him unto the throne. Unfortunately Kageyama had been too young, selfish, and inexperienced to be able to help his kingdom and served only to further its downfall.

 

Once the kingdom had entirely collapsed and Kageyama had been left with nothing, he went to Koushi’s father, hoping that he could serve under him at least. Koushi’s father took him in as a son instead.

 

At first everyone had been skittish around the newcomer. Koushi really couldn’t blame them, though. He remembered seeing Kageyama for the fist time and being shocked by his shark tail, dorsal fin, and sharp teeth appearance that was common of people of his kingdom. The only thing that set him apart from the commoners were the navy blue stripes underneath his eyes, his royal marks. With his scary appearance and often sour expression it was very few the people that approached him by will.

 

One of these said people was Hinata.

 

Hinata was almost the exact opposite of Kageyama. Other than a pair of negectful parents, they had nothing in common. As far as they knew, Hinata was from the warm waters of the Caribbean, so unlike Kageyama's deep waters of the Pacific. Hinata also took most of his fish attributes from a lion fish, a bright orange and bouncy lion fish. (Koushi only knew that he looked like a lion fish because Hinata had told him so.)

 

Hinata never really went into deep details about his previous family. All he told Koushi was that his parents were poor and worried more about money than him. Eventually his parents had decided that it was best to abandon Hinata in order to have one less person to care of. Koushi couldn't imagine any parent being so cold as to leave their child like that. He understood if maybe they had given him up to someone else. But to leave him all alone? Koushi was glad that Hinata wasn't with those people any more.

 

When his parents had basically left him to die Hinata had journeyed to the city in hopes of success. Koushi had found him in the garden, sleeping peacefully underneath some flowers. At first the guards went nuts, screaming at the poor kid and sharing him shitless. They brought Hinata to the king in hopes of Hinata getting punished in some way.

 

However, the king fell in love with the bright boy instantly and took him in instead. Hinata never failed to bring that up whenver he sees those guards.

 

Kageyama and Hinata had clashed together at first. Kageyama thought that Hinta was annoying as hell and Hinata thought that Kageyama was mean as hell. Despite their initially rough start the two had grown close together and had bonded over their love of a ball game. They still bickered endlessly, but it was all bark and not bite.

 

However, Koushi had noted nowadays Kageyama was oddly subdued during their fights.h He always listened to the smaller boy and did what Hinata wanted to do. He grumbled the whole time but he did it. He was much more fidgety around Hinata as well and seemed to constantly seek Hinata's attention. Also, Koushi could have sworn that Kageyama looked at Hinata with a certain fondness that he never showed to anyone else. Unforetunately, Koushi hadn't had the time to tease Kageyama to see what his reaction would be.

 

Tomorrow, maybe.

 

Koushi watched in silence as they bickered and shoved at each other. Kageyama had successfully trapped into a noogie and it seemed as though he were trying to scrub away Hinata’s hair. The smaller boy whined and squirmed in Kageyama’s grasp, calling him names and insulting him in general. Kageyama gritted his teeth and lashed out as well, spewing whatever words came to mind.

 

 _Also was he… blushing?_ Koushi hid a smile behind his hand. _Oh my god, he really is blushing. What an absolute complete dork-_

 

“Quit it already. You guys are too loud.” Koushi glanced to side as he watched Ennoshita glided into the room, Kiyoko beside him. He looked over at Kageyama and Hinata and they stilled underneath his harsh glare. Kiyoko looked at them in quiet disinterest before slightly tapping the inside of Ennoshita’s wrist and saying a quiet _good night_.

 

Ennoshita nodded.

 

Koushi had always loved their relationship, built on a solid foundation of trust and respect. Also, they threw shade a lot and could be found in a corner whispering to each other. You knew some person was acting up if they start to lean towards each other.

 

Kiyoko swam over to Koushi, looking over at him worriedly. “Get some rest, Suga,” she said quietly.

 

“I’ll do my best,” replied Koushi earnestly.

 

“You've been over working yourself lately,” she continued, sitting down next to him. She took off her glasses and sighed. “If you ever need to talk to someone-”

 

“Don't worry, Kiyoko. I can handle myself. I'll tell you if I ever need something.”

 

She didn't seem convinced, but she dropped the subject nonetheless. “Alright. Good night, Suga.” She gave him a quick peck on the forehead. “Tomorrow is an important day.”

 

“Hm, I know,” replied Suga, making shooing motions. “Do what you preach.”

 

She smiled wryly then nodded. “Okay.” She went over to Hinata and Kageyama, who were still squabbling. They both froze as she approached them. “Save your energy for tomorrow. Good night, Hinata-kun and Kageyama-kun.”

 

“Good night, Kiyoko,” they said in unison.

 

Now that they were calm, Ennoshita was able to escort them both to bed. Neither Kageyama nor Hinata put up a struggle.

 

 _How do you do it?_ Suga asked Kiyoko with his eyes.

 

 _Dunno_ , she answered back, shrugging and sinking into her clam-shaped bed.

 

Ennoshita had almost succeeded in tucking Hinata and Kageyama when a loud, “SUUUUGGGAAA-SAN,” rang through the room. Hinata wiggled out his bed, Ennoshita cursed under his breath, Kiyoko looked up blearily, and Kageyama stuffed his face in the pillow. Koushi sighed wearily.

 

And they had been so close to peace as well...

 

“NOYA!” cried out Hinata as soon as the other boy burst into the room. Hinata seeming zoomed to Noya, ramming into Noya at full-force. Noya didn't seem to mind though.

 

“Shoyou!” he said cheerily. “It’s late!”

 

“I know!” said Hinata vigorously. “But I heard you I couldn’t just go to sleep!”

 

Noya ruffled Hinata’s hair. “Atta a boy! This is why you’re my favorite!” Hinata beamed, positively glowing at Noya's praise.

 

“Noya-san,” came the hushed whisper of a certain gentle giant. Asahi made his appearance at the doorway, his hands clasped in front of him and small frown on his face. “Don’t make such a ruckus…”

 

“A ruckus? Am I making a ruckus?” asked Noya loudly.

 

Ennoshita gave Koushi a pointed look. _Can you believe this shit?_ Ennoshita seemed to ask.

 

“I’m not making a ruckus,” continued Noya, completely unaware of the pissed off Ennoshita in the room. “I would know. I would be louder than usual. Also, people would be telling me to shut up, so-“

 

“No one is saying anything because they're too goddamn tired to deal with you,” deadpanned Ennoshita as he stared Noya down.

 

Noya merely frowned. “It’s not that late…”

 

“Noya-san,” said Asahi quietly, approaching Noya. “Ennoshita, Kiyoko, and Suga have been up and about helping today-“

 

“I helped today,” Noya interjected, crossing his arm and pouting.

 

“Going through the kitchen and ‘ _tasting’_ the food does not count,” said Ennoshita.

“I was just making sure that it wasn’t poisoned and good enough to give to the guests,” defended Noya.

 

“Let’s just go to sleep-“ Asahi started.

 

“Oh, wait, Suga-san!” Ennoshita threw his hands up in defeat and Asahi slumped back. Noya sped to Koushi shoved his face in from of Koushi. “Tsukishima and Yamaguchi say hi. I saw them while I was on that errand for your dad. They’re the same as always. Hey, Kageyama!” Kageyama grunted in response. “Tsukki says that he wants a rematch.”

 

Kageyama bolted upright and looked over at Noya excitedly. “When?” Noya zoomed over to Kageyama now and ran through the details. Hinata, hearing the words _rematch_ and _Tsukki_ , also made his way to Kageyama’s bed to listen to what Noya had to say.

 

Ennoshita went over to his bed, muttering something about how dumb they all were. Kiyoko had nodded off, amazingly. Koushi wondered how she did it. Asahi hovered over Noya, anxious to get to bed. However, Noya, Kageyama, and Hinata were overly pumped up and getting either of them to bed would be a difficult task.

 

Koushi found himself getting out of the bed and drifting towards them, stepping up into what the others referred to as the mama mode. He placed a hand on Noya’s shoulder, who was in the middle of his story. “I really hate to stop you when you are so into this, but it’s best that you go to sleep now. Remember, you have to wake up early.”

 

“What?” said Noya, craning his neck so that he could get a better look at Koushi. “What are you talking about?”

 

“Rehearsal?” said Koushi. “Or did you forget?”

 

Noya groaned. “You’re kidding, right?”

 

“I wish I was,” sighed Suga. “After today I could sleep for years and never wake up.”

 

“Stupid palace traditions,” Noya grumbled, pouting childishly.

 

“N-n-noya-san!” exclaimed Asahi. “You can’t say things like that! The concert is something that is important to-“

 

“I know, I know,” said Noya, waving his hand dismissively. “It’s not like I’ve been told its history, like, a million times.” He sighed and turned back to Hinata and Kageyama. “So, you guys in?”

 

“Of course!” chirped Hinata, bouncing up and down. “I would love to beat him again!”

 

“Don’t be so sure of yourself,” said Kageyama. But he was smiling nonetheless at the prospect of going head to head with Tsukishima again.

 

“Great! I’ll tell Tsukki next time I see him. Alright, Asahi, you can drag me to bed now. Night, everyone!” Noya waved excitedly at them as Asahi sighed and told him to quiet down. Noya did not do that. He looked up at Koushi helplessly, but Koushi merely smiled in response.

 

“Get some sleep too, Suga. You look exhausted,” said Asahi once he had wrangled Noya into his bed.

 

“Ah, I should, shouldn’t I?” Koushi scratched the back of his neck and allowed for Asahi to lead him to his bed and tuck him in. Koushi fluffed his pillow before sinking into it, sighing in relief.

 

“Rough day?” asked Asahi quietly once he had settled into his own bed next to Koushi’s.

 

Koushi laughed bitterly. “You don’t know the half of it.” He wrapped the thin blanket around himself tighter and burrowed into the pillow even more.

 

“Tell me about it in the morning, okay? After practice?” Asahi mummered.

 

“Maybe,” Koushi replied drowsily. “If its still bothering me. I wouldn’t want to… to burden you.”

 

Asahi sounded far away when he said, “You wouldn’t be burdening me.”

 

Asahi said something else, Koushi was sure of it, but he was tired to the bone and the bed was so, _so_ nice. Koushi was out like a light before Asahi had finished his sentence.

 

–

 

The instant he woke up Koushi knew that something was off.

 

He rubbed his eyes and blearily stared at a small patch of the wall in front of him. The room was much too bright for him and he squeezed his eyes shut. You'd think that living on the bottom of the ocean meant less sunlight. However, they weren't in too deep and the sun rays still made their way into the palace.

 

He listened for Asahi’s snore and Kiyoko’s restless movements. He listened for Hinata incoherent babbles and Ennoshita's tail slapping his bed. He listened for Noya's loud breaths and Kageyama's occasional snort.

 

Nothing.

 

The room was silent. Eerily so.

 

Frowning, Koushi forced an eye open and tried to take in his surroundings. However, again, the light was too bright and he quickly closed his eyes again.

 

_Too bright…_

 

Panic seized Koushi as soon as he realized what it meant.

 

_The rehearsal._

 

His eyes shot open, the light blinding him but that’s okay. It was probably a just punishment for waking up late.

He should have been mad that nobody had woken him up, but he was usually so responsible that they had most likely left him to sleep more thinking that he would wake up on time.

 

Koushi really wished that they didn’t trust him so blindly.

 

He smacked into the bedroom door and gingerly rubbed his now sore nose as he yanked it open. The hallway was darker than the bedroom (Thank goodness) and Koushi’s eyes were able to adjust to the light. He swam faster than he ever had before, running his hands through his bedhead, hoping to somehow tame it. If only Tooru were here to help him!

 

He zoomed past a couple of servants and didn’t even bother flashing them his trademark grin when they waved.

 

“Slow down, Prince Sugawara!” one called. “You’ll get hurt!”

 

 _I’m going to get hurt anyway way_ , thought Koushi, shuddering as he rounded a corner. _My father will surely put my head on a platter._

 

He arrived at the music hall in record time. (Oikawa would have been impressed.) He wrenched the door open and shouted breathlessly, “Pardon for the intrusion!”

 

And of course that’s when the music was going full swing.

 

Koushi looked up and belatedly realizes the mistake he has made.

 

Everyone stared at him in shock. The whole orchestra stopped playing, save for the tuba player. Asahi had covered his face with his hands in embarrassment. Ennoshita paled. Kiyoko gave him a sympathetic look.

The tuba player has realized what is going on and stopped playing and the tuba makes a pathetic _“phfthubt_ ” sound. Koushi is backing up, apologizes bubbling at his lips when his father cut him off.

 

“HOW COULD YOU, KOUSHI?!” he bellowed. Koushi swore that one the veins on his forehead had popped.

Koushi smiled nervously, shaking in fear. His throat felt dry but he managed to squeeze out, “I-I overslept, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

 

The king made his way towards his eldest son, pushing away some unfortunate servant who squeaked and rushed off. Koushi wished that he could do the same. “KOUSHI SUGAWARA,” he boomed. “DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?”

 

Koushi’s smile evaporated. “I-I slept in. I’m highly aware of what I have done. Please, I promise that-“

 

“PROMISE? PROMISES CAN BE BROKEN, KOUSHI.” He had reached Koushi now. He towered above Koushi, and pillar of anger and fire. “THIS IS THE FIRST PRACTICE FOR THE CONCERT THAT YOUR MOTHER SO DEARLY LOVED AND YOU ARRIVE LATE?! DOES THIS MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU?!”

 

Tears are threatening to form and spill onto Koushi’s cheek but the king would never forgive him if he cried. “This is very important to me!” choked Koushi. “I swear I didn’t mean to oversleep. Yesterday was so tiring and I-“

 

And Koushi had fucked up. I knew it the instant the words left his mouth.

 

“YESTERDAY WAS TIRING FOR YOU?” His father was practically spitting venom at him. Koushi flinched. “HOW DO YOU THINK IT WAS FOR ME? ENTERTAINING A FEW NOBLES IS NOTHING! NOTHING! I GOT EVEN LESS SLEEP THAN YOU, SO YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR GETTING UP LATE!”

 

“Sir,” said Hinata. The king whipped around and glared at him. Hinata panicked and hid behind Kageyama,who shrunk back as well. “I-it was our fault. W-we should have woken him up-“

 

“This is all on Koushi,” snapped the King. Hinata paled and shrunk back even more. Asahi whimpered. “Do you have anything to say about this, Asahi?” roared the king, turning to him now.

 

Asahi stuttered,“H-h-hi-hinata-“

 

“Hinata is right,” said Noya, saving Asahi from further embarrassment and directing the king's attention to him. “We should have woken him up. It was all-“

 

“You are not responsible for Koushi,” said the king. “Koushi is responsible for himself and has to own up to his mistakes.”

 

“But Koushi-“ started Noya.

 

“No buts! I have had _enough_ of this conversation.” He turned back to Koushi. “Koushi, you are dismissed.”

 

Koushi blinked in surprise. Dismissed? From the concert? But he was lead singer! “But, Father-“

 

“NO BUTS. JUST LEAVE,” the king bellowed, pointing to the door and glowering at Koushi.

 

“Yessir,” whimpered Koushi, trembling. He glanced up at those on the stage and in the orchestra pit, all looking at him with varying degrees of sadness and pity. He took a shaky breath before retreating and closing the doors, his last image of seeing Kiyoko go over towards the fuming king. Maybe he should have stuck around and waited until Kiyoko talked some sense into his father. He was such a sucker for Kiyoko.

 

But Koushi’s heart was pounding painfully against his chest and his head throbbed. He could still hear his father screaming at him, could still taste his anger. Koushi’s sight blurred as tears started to make their way into his eyes. He wandered back into the bedroom, avoiding contact with others. He didn't need anyone's pity or comfort at the moment. All he wanted to do was dig a hole, curl up in it, and live there for the rest of his life.

He made a beeline for his bed and buried his head into the pillow and allowed the sobs that he was holding in pour out.

 

One time, he messed up one time…

 

His body shook as he brought the blanket closer to his face and screamed. It felt nice to finally let his frustration and anger out. So long he had kept it pent up and locked. Finally, finally he was able to let it go, even if it only scratched the surface. He'd feel bad about it later. Right now he was going to allow himself to the moody teenager he had never been allowed to be.

 

Once he had calmed down considerably he got up, rubbing his eyes and hoping that the tears streaks would be washed away soon. Now that he had collected himself, he decided that it was best to plan his next move.

 

_Maybe I should go back to the music room… Maybe it's all better now..._

 

He stopped that train of thought as soon as occurred, though.

 

Like _hell_ he was going back to the music hall, even if his father was in a better mood. In fact, it was a good idea to avoid his father altogether. He could go into the courtyard and maybe talk to some fish. However, fish were gossips and the last thing he needed was to tarnish his name more. Perhaps he could go down to the kitchen and drown his sorrows in food. Surely the cooks would understand his situation…

 

_Wait, what exactly is my situation?_

 

Koushi stared at the floor in front of him numbly.

 

_I came to the concert practice late, it’s understandable that father was upset. However… this is the first time in all my years that I have come to anything late. Especially concert practice._

 

Koushi could feel his blood starting to boil.

 

_Twenty years of being his son. Twenty goddamn years of pretending to be perfect, and succeeding as well! Yet I go to one practice late after sixteen years of going there religiously and he blows up at me? Humiliates in front of everyone and accuses me of not caring?_

 

Koushi was definitely ticked off now. He clenched and unclenched the sheets and ground his teeth angrily.

 

 _If he can do it, I can do it, he thinks. It’s always the same. ‘_ Koushi at your age I-’ _this and_ ‘Koushi, I did-’ _that. All the time. Every single day. I can’t even be myself if I tried! I always have to live up to his expectations and the one time I don’t I get punished mercilessly! And I'm supposed to be okay with this? I'm supposed to allow for this to continue?_

 

He rose out of his bed, mind working in overtime.

 

He had to do something. Something that the King wouldn't like and something that Koushi did.

 

The surface.

 

Koushi had always wondered about the human world, what was above the sea. He wanted to check it out.

 

And he had the perfect person to ask.

 

Some part of him realized that he was being irrational, but so what? The whole situation was irrational! None of this would have been happened if the king didn’t care about Koushi’s feelings.

 

And so that’s how Koushi found himself outside of Tooru’s bedroom, banging against his window.

 

 _Who even uses glass anymore?_ Thought Koushi as he banged the glass even harder. _Such a waste of resources._ Suddenly the glass flew upwards and a pissy Tooru made an appearance, ready to curse of whoever the hell was making such a goddamn ruckus out of his window until he saw who it was.

 

“Suga-chan?” he asked breathlessly, taking in how frazzled and disheveled his friend looked. “What in the world-“

 

“I need you to do me a favor,” cut in Koushi.

 

“Anything! Are you okay, do you want me to-“

 

 “Please, show me the human world.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So dramatic, Suga! This the angstiest the story gets I swear.
> 
> Also you can follow me on Tumblr @ totally-not-addicted and twitter @TNAhere where you can talk to me about HQ, Daisuga, and AUs :D
> 
> See you in the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tfw u finally kick ur sorry ass into gear and deliver a chapter that has been long overdue
> 
> *slips this ur way* please... take this chapter as an apology for the ungodly wait y'all have gone through...

Iwaizumi blinked in confusion. “You told him no?” he asked in disbelief.

 

Oikawa rolled his eyes, not looking up from his fingernails. “I told him not yet.”

 

“I thought that you’ve been goading this guy to see the surface with you since forever?” said Iwaizumi, still not able to wrap his mind around the news. “He willing came to you and you shot him down?”

 

Oikawa wrinkled his nose and flicked his tail, sending a splash of colors Iwaizumi’s way. “Oh, don't be so surprised. I couldn’t take advantage of him. I am a nice, you know.”

 

“I find that hard to believe,” said Iwaizumi, narrowing his eyes at him. However, he did have to agree that it would have been pretty bad if Oikawa had accepted his friend's request. He may have a shitty personality but using someone's emotional breakdown in order get what he wanted done didn't seem to be his style. Persuading yes, but not outright manipulating.

 

Oikawa pouted. “Why are you so mean to me, Iwa-chan?” he whined.

 

“You make it easy,” replied Iwaizumi.

 

Oikawa huffed angrily.

 

Iwaizumi laughed.

 

The pair was relaxing near the rocky shore, Oikawa stretched across a large boulder and “sunning” himself as though he was some kind of lizard. His tail draped over the edge of the boulder and his fin flicked at the water every once in a while towards Iwaizumi, gently splashing him. Usually Iwaizumi would complain but the constant showering of droplets helped him keep cool against the angry sun.

 

At the moment Oikawa had his face buried into his forearms and Iwaizumi could barely see his eyes below his bangs. They were no longer at glaring Iwaizumi. Instead finding his smooth skin much more appealing, probably lost in thought. For a creature that came for the see his head spent an awfully long amount of time in the clouds.

 

Iwaizumi turned away and looked at the sky. The sun was starting to drift down but it was still pretty high up in the sky. It would take a while before the sun would stop beating down on them. If Iwaizumi really couldn't stand the heat, he could just slip into the ocean. It was hot enough that his clothes would dry in just a few minutes. However, the last time that he did that Oikawa had jumped right in and almost dragged him down into the bottom of the ocean, so he'd rather not do that.

 

Oikawa had apologized profusely after that, saying something about how he really hadn't meant it. Siren instinct, he said, since someone in his family had married a siren four generations ago. And Iwaizumi had to believe him because he didn't know shit about mythical sea creature relationships and if a siren and a mermaid had had a kid, welp, what that's what happened.

 

It was much easier to swallow than almost being killed by one of your best friends.

 

But that had happened years ago, around the time they had first meet. For the most part Iwaizumi shoved that awful memory in the back of his head and did his best to keep it buried there.

 

He wondered, not for the first time, why it had been so easy to slip into a routine with Oikawa. Twice a week, around noon, at the same exact spot. They've been doing this for years. It's a miracle that nobody had caught them yet.

 

How long had he known Oikawa again? Like, six years? Seven?

 

“Iwa-chan, what are you thinking about?” asked Oikawa, interrupting Iwaizumi’s thoughts.

 

Iwaizumi side-eyed him and replied, “How I came to befriend someone like you.”

 

“So rude! Are you really a Knight-in-training? Haven’t they taught you to respect nobility?” sniffed Oikawa.

 

“I respect my nobility, not yours,” Iwaizumi answered.

 

“You are insufferable,” huffed Oikawa. He propped his chin on his forearm to get a better look at Iwaizumi, who was splayed out on the boulder next to his. Oikawa flicked a bit of water on him and got a disgruntled glare in return. “Besides, it’s not my fault that you have a soft spot for those in danger.”

 

“I shouldn’t have rescued you from that net,” said Iwaizumi wearily.

 

Oikawa grinned at him. “Come on, Iwa-chan. You can say what you want, but we both know that you enjoy my company.”

 

Well, he wasn’t wrong. Oikawa was a handful and usually got on his nerves but Iwaizumi did enjoy talking to him. Especially when he didn’t put up that stupid princely-type façade of his. Talking with him was easy and they had a nice banter going on between them. Oikawa was an open book and loved to talk about himself and his problems. Yet he was a good listener too and didn’t mind when Iwaizumi ranted about what was going on in his life.

 

Still, Iwaizumi glared at smug grin plastered on Oikawa’s face.

 

“You’re so easy to read, Iwa-chan.”

 

“You’re way too observant,” shot back Iwaizumi.

 

“Fair enough, but you need to give yourself some credit. And you call me an open book?”

 

“Because you are,” retorted Iwaizumi. “I’m pretty sure I know more about your life than your family does, at this point.”

 

“Right back at you, Iwa-chan.”

 

Iwaizumi grumbled but said no more.

 

Oikawa gave him on of his breezy laughs and flipped himself over on boulder so that his stomach was exposed to the sun. He shielded his eyes by putting one of his forearms on his forehead. “Well, I told you what I have to say. Your turn, _Haijime~.”_

 

“I am seriously going to punch you one of these days,” muttered Iwaizumi as he turned his back to Oikawa again. He heard the other say something along the lines of _‘I’d like to see you try’_ but he let the jab slip. He sighed deeply before saying, “I think that Daichi is depressed.”

 

“Daichi? Depressed?” Oikawa inquired. Iwaizumi could hear the knit eyebrows and slight frown in this voice. “Really?”

 

“Yeah. He hasn’t been acting like himself lately. I mean, he hasn’t really been himself since his father got sick and it’s been going downhill since then. He won’t tell me anything, which is frustrating. He closed up even more after his talk with his mother about a week ago. All he told me was that he was definitely marrying Yui and that I shouldn’t worry. But I am worried, for his own sake. He’s immersed himself so much into his work. It's dangerous. I know that he’s not sleeping even if he denies it. I found him nearly passed out in the library yesterday. He kept saying that he was fine and laughing it off but he’s not okay and it’s my duty to protect him, you know? As his best friend and a knight. It sucks to watch him down-spiral like this.”

 

Oikawa let out a low whistle in response. “Seems that we both have depressed princes in our hands.”

 

“It would appear so,” said Hajime quietly.

 

“You said that he closed up even more after talking with his mother, right?”

 

“Uh, yeah.”

 

“Maybe you could talk to her about it,” Oikawa suggested.

 

Iwaizumi snorted. “What a great idea. I’m sure that’ll go over well with the queen. ‘Hey, um, I’ve noticed that your son is kinda depressed and it might be your fault. Mind telling me what happened in that conversation you had a week ago?’ Yeah, sure. I'd be beheaded on the spot!”

 

“You have no tact, Iwa-chan!” wailed Oikawa. He sent an especially vicious splash of water in Iwaizumi’s way. “You have you ease her into the topic, you barbarian! No wonder you decided to be a knight! You are much too brash and honest to do anything else.”

 

“Excuse you _, Tooru._ Not everyone has taken lessons in how to deceive others subtly,” Iwaizumi grumbled, wiping off the excess water off his shirt.

 

“This something that I’ve always done,” replied Oikawa hotly. “It’s just common sense to smooth things out before going in for the kill. Most of the time people don’t notice and you get what you want. A few lessons in doing so wouldn’t actually hurt you, you know. Being a knight doesn't mean always having to stab things to solve the problem.”

 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes. “I do not just 'stab things' to get the answer I want. I just prefer to be honest and upfront about what I feel. I see no point to hide behind a curtain of insincerity and personal motive.”

 

“How admirable,” said Oikawa flatly. “But those qualities of yours won’t help you if you want to get the queen to talk to you.”

 

“Why not? I don’t see what she has to hide from me,” said Iwaizumi. “I've never given her trouble and she considers me to one of Daichi's most trusted friends.”

 

“But wouldn’t she love to get the tip that her son might not be happy with the way things are playing out? From what you’ve told me the queen likes having things go her way and will do whatever she can to ensure that is how things will go. Imagine knowing that your son isn’t happy with your script of a perfect life for him. You wouldn’t be very pleased, would you? Especially if the words came out from his best friend rather than from the source themselves. Think, Iwa-chan! It isn’t always about how it will affect you.”

 

Iwaizumi frowned at Oikawa. He absolutely hated it when Oikawa was right. “I guess that… makes sense?”

 

Oikawa snorted. “Of course it does. I always make sense.”

 

“Please, don’t flatter yourself,” Iwaizumi grumbled.

 

“Well, someone has to praise me when I’m such a wonderful person,” said Oikawa pompously.

 

Iwaizumi glared at Oikawa who only gave him a cheeky grin in return. “Shittykawa.”

 

“Rude!” said Oikawa shrilly.

 

“Whatever,” said Iwaizumi, trying not to laugh. “Shouldn’t you be going, by the way?”

 

“Are you kicking me out?” asked Oikawa.

 

“Technically the land is my territory…”

 

Oikawa narrowed his eyes at Iwaizumi before shaking his head. “I’m not due in a while. I can stay out here for longer.”

 

“ _Oh no_.”

 

“Oh, _yes_.”

 

Oikawa cackled as Iwaizumi groaned loudly. Iwaizumi rolled to his side and tried to aim a punch at Oikawa but missed terribly. Curse Oikawa for choosing a rock that was just out of Iwaizumi's reach. Of course Oikawa found that hilarious and howled louder.

 

“Be quiet, people will hear you,” hissed Iwaizumi, suddenly shoting up and nervously scanning the scene. He turned back to Oikawa who peered at him curiously.

 

“So what if people hear me? I doesn't matter to me,” he said nonchalantly.

 

“They might come running here. They'll find you and-and-” Iwaizumi made a frustrated sound and gripped his hair. “Doesn't it scare you? People discovering you? Like, I'm okay with it because I found you so and whatnot but if anyone else were to find out…” Iwaizumi gulped. “They'd do experiments on you! Fry you like a fish! Or something like that! Stick you in a tank! Aren't you worried about that?”

 

Unforetunately Iwaizumi knew the answer before Oikawa had opened his mouth. This wasn't an old conversation by any means.

 

“Not really,” said Oikawa.

 

“But you matter down there,” argued Iwaizumi.

 

Oikawa snorted. “I'm not even second in line for the throne. I don't really matter."

 

“You matter to Suga.”

 

Oikawa hesitated but quickly said, “He has a family. He could do without me just fine.”

 

“But most of his ‘ _siblings’_ aren’t even related by blood and by what you’ve told me some of them like each other?”

 

“I shouldn’t have told you that,” sighed Oikawa irritably. “I probably think that we bang our family members or something right now, but yes. Family doesn't have to be blood, you know. They'll be there for him no matter what. I'm just… I'm just a second choice.”

 

“But when he was yelled at by his father-“

 

“He came to me because he had no other choice,” said Oikawa softly. “He was emotionally unstable and everything he knew was falling apart and it's not like he could have cried in one of his sibling's arms since they were all in the same room. If one of them had not been in there he surely would have gone straight to them rather than make the trip all the way over to my palace.”

 

Iwaizumi wasn't the least bit convinced. Perhaps he did not know much about Sugawara but from the tidbits that Oikawa had told Iwaizumi there was no doubt in Iwaizumi's head that Oikawa was very, very precious to Sugawara. It was Oikawa being melodramatic again, showing off his insecurities. Someday Iwaizumi would be able to destroy that part of him. But for now he'd just give him comfort and support because that's all he knew and could do at the moment.

 

Iwaizumi scrunched his eyebrows and studied Oikawa. He had turned his head away from Iwaizumi, so he couldn’t see the face Oikawa was making. However by his despondent tone Iwaizumi could guess that it certainly wasn’t a happy one.

 

Sometimes Iwaizumi forgot that this side of Oikawa existed. This is fragile and self-conscious side of him, thinking that he was never good enough to be the first choice. He was always so loud and brilliant that it was hard to ever imagine him having confidence issues.

 

Yet here he was thinking that the only reason that Suga, his life-long friend, had only come to him in his time of despair because “he had no other choice.”

 

God, Iwaizumi really wanted to punch Oikawa in the face.

 

Instead he said, “But you were his first choice. He has a palace full of people that he could talk to and he chose you. Assikawa, you are important.”

 

A moment of silence ensued. Iwaizumi panicked a little, thinking that maybe that Oikawa hadn't heard him or was just flat out ignoring him out of convenience. However, he is thankfully mistaken.

 

Slowly, but surely, Oikawa turned around face Iwaizumi. His dark brown eyes the size of saucer plates, his lips slightly parted. He seemed to be caught between reprimanding Iwaizumi or accepting his words. Iwaizumi took note of the pink dusting his cheeks.

 

“Am I right, or am I wrong?”

 

“I-I guess you’re right but-“ He sucked in a breath and quickly turned away, embarrassed. “Iwa-chan is so embarrassing,” he grumbled.

 

“Have you met yourself?” wondered Iwaizumi out loud. Oikawa responded by splashing him.

 

It was quiet between the of them afterward, but Iwaizumi doesn't mind. Their conversation for the day was over. To continue talking would exhaust the both of them.

 

He closed his eyes and allowed himself to straddle the line between wake and sleep. He listened the sounds of the ocean and Oikawa’s gentle breathing next to him. Unconsciously he started to match Oikawa’s breathing pattern which would have bothered him more if he weren’t so _damn relaxed_.

 

Some time passed by before Oikawa said, “I should go now. If I stay out here too much longer I’ll be missed.”

 

Iwaizumi cracked an eye and glanced over at Oikawa. He still had his back turned to Iwaizumi. “I thought that you could stay out a bit longer today?” Iwaizumi teased gently. “And here I was, thinking that I'd have to deal with you for a little longer.”

 

Oikawa chuckled and Iwaizumi could practically hear the smile in Oikawa’s voice. “So you do listen to what I say, Iwa-chan.”

 

“I always listen. Sometimes I just ignore what is ridiculous,” said Iwaizumi.

 

“Nothing that I say is ridiculous,” defended Oikawa.

 

“Hm. I’ll get you back on that one.”

 

“Do you enjoy razzing people up?” asked Oikawa, slightly exasperated.

 

“I enjoy razzing you up. Besides, we know that between the both of us you are the one who is more likely to get someone pissed off.”

 

Oikawa shurgged. “Can’t argue with that.” He sat up and stretched his arms over his head, his back curving. Iwaizumi opened his other eye and watched him, amazed at how graceful he made that movement looked. Oikawa caught him looking and said smugly, “Iwa-chan, do you want of piece of this?”

 

“And you have the nerve to call me embarrassing?” asked Iwaizumi. He propped himself on his elbows and glared at Oikawa. “I am not checking you. You can keep all your pieces to yourself.”

 

“Oh, yes you were, don’t lie. You’re probably wondering how to get such a wonderful body like mine, hm?” said Oikawa flirtatiously, flicking his wail and leaning his head back, exposing his long neck.

 

Iwaizumi hated when Oikawa did this to him. Oikawa meant it all as a joke, obviously, but it was impossible to deny that Iwaizumi did indeed, find Oikawa very attractive. He had a regal face, slim but strong figure complemented by graceful movements and light blue swirls that seemed to dance across the expanse of his smooth skin.

 

He was quite the sight. Absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. It was annoying, really, having someone so beautiful as your friend. However...

 

“I don’t know if I’m into the fish part, though. That' pretty weird.”

 

“Are you kidding me?” squawked Oikawa indignantly, completely ruining the Perfect Merman™ image he had going on. Which was relief because while Oikawa was absolutely breath-taking and pretty he was also a complete dork and super obnoxious. “The tail is the best part! You glide so smoothly in the water, much more than with those silly legs of yours. You look so funny.” Oikawa scrunched his nose up in disgust. “How do you even swim with those things? They look so bulky and hard to maneuver.”

 

Iwaizumi snorted. “Same thing goes for your fish tail. However, you do have to admit that my legs do have the advantage of actually being able to do something in the water. If I were to dump you on land or something like that you would just flop around like the dumb fish you are.” Oikawa pouted and Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow. “Did I finally shut you up?”

 

“Iwa-chan is such a meanie!” Oikawa whined. “Why am I even friends with you?”

 

“I ask myself that question all the time.”

 

Oikawa shook his head. “But, you see, you learn stuff from me. Like being more cultured. I'm an important part of your life. And also I am much to refined and sophisticated to make such tasteless remarks about you.”

 

“Likely story,” said Iwaizumi, smirking.

 

“Iwa-chaaaan,” whined Oikawa. “You’re making me late.”

 

“Me? You're the one that's taking his time going down their. Don't blame me for you lack of action,” responded Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi rolled onto his back and then sat up. He twisted his back to get some feeling back into it. Once he was done he looked over at Oikawa who was watching him with a curious glint in his eyes. “Well?” said Iwaizumi, making shooing movements. “Swim along now. You have royal duties to attend to. Parties to host and whatnot.”

 

Oikawa cast him a dirty look before slipping off the rock and dropping himself into the water with a big splash. The hem of Iwaizumi’s shorts got wet, but he didn’t particularly mind. It was just Oikawa being petty and annoying.

 

Oikawa’s head breaks through the waves and he looks up at Iwaizumi. “Iwa-chan?” he called nervously.

 

“Hm?” said Iwaizumi as he moved himself to the edge of the rock in order to peer down at Oikawa.

 

Oikawa’s hair was dripping and lay flat, so unlike his bouncy curls when it was dry. He seemed jittery and uncertain and opened his mouth a couple of times in an attempt to speak. Iwaizumi looked at him curiously. He seemed to give up and said instead, “Iwa-chan isn’t busy in three days, is he?”

 

“No, not particularly. Same time?”

 

Oikawa nodded. “Same place?”

 

“Is there anywhere else we meet up?” Iwaizumi answered dryly. Oikawa gave him a shy smile.

 

“I dunno. Maybe you wanted to try somewhere else...”

 

Iwaizumi rolled his eyes before smiling at Oikawa fondly. “Go home, Tooru. I’ll see you in three days.” Oikawa nodded his agreement and was about to dive down when Iwaizumi quickly added, “Don’t be shy to bring Suga here.”

 

Oikawa blushed and stammered. “Ah… it’s not that I’m shy about-about bring him here. It's just that-”

 

Iwaizumi shook his head, already having heard enough of Oikawa's weak protests. “Go home, Shittykawa. I'll see you soon.” Iwaizumi gently shoved Oikawa’s head under the water with his foot.

 

“Alright, alright! I'm going, I'm going,” said Oikawa. He flashed Iwaizumi a bright smile and waved at him. “Bye, Iwa-chan!”

 

“Later, you idiot.”

 

Iwaizumi watched Oikawa dip underneath the ocean and disappear. He stayed there just a little bit longer to make sure that Oikawa really did go home.

 

He sat on the rock, enjoying the salty ocean breeze and the warmth of the ( _finally_ ) sinking sun.

 

Iwaizumi absolutely loved this spot. It was always tranquil and empty, being somewhat secluded from the mainland. Almost nobody strayed around these parts. Iwaizumi had the whole to himself and his thoughts, something that he never had in the barracks with the other knights-in-training.

 

He thought back to his last moments with Oikawa, when the other boy had looked as though he had wanted to say something important. He wondered what he had wanted to say to him, but dismissed the thought.

 

_He’ll break soon enough_ , reasoned Iwaizumi. _If it was really important he'll spill it. He's horrible at keeping secrets about himself_

 

Deciding that he had been out long enough and that Oikawa had gone back to his underwater kingdom, he picked himself up and made his way back his palace, where he knew dinner would be served soon and where he would hopefully be able to talk to his ailing prince. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *whispers* you can follow me on tumblr @totally-not-addicted and twitter @tnahere so that we can discuss about these gay volleyballs


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUYS IM ON A ROLL. It's been what? Two months maybe? After having to wait like ten years? Praise the fact that school is almost over and that I'm tired of it. Plus my writing mojo has been off the chain these past couple of days. It's been great. I wish it were always like this. ;-;
> 
> Anyways, here is your daily merman dosage! :D

Sugawara Koushi had never been so upset in his whole life.

 

This was saying something because Koushi has had to put up with this kind of behavior from his father for the majority of his life. The King had always been particularly strict. Howewver, when Koushi's mother had been alive she had always mellowed him out. She'd wrap her dainty fingers around the King's wrist, whisper something in his ear and rub soothing circles against his back. Many people had thought that his mother was a witch of sorts since she had the power to quell the King's rage.

 

But this was not the case. Koushi's mother was one of the most average and humble mermaids in the whole kingdom. Sure, she had royal blood running through her veins but she wasn't anything special, not really. She was just good at dealing with people. She knew what they wanted and needed. It was an innate part of her. She was just kind and gentle.

 

And that's why Koushi's father had loved her so much.

 

But the queen was long dead and nobody had been able to take her place for years which meant that Koushi had been forced to take the brunt of the King's expectations and anger. He had gotten used to it for the most part too.

 

However, this time, the King had crossed a line and something inside of Koushi had snapped. Snapped so hard that it left the prince shaking in anger.

 

All his life Koushi had done everything he could to be the best for his father, for his family, for his kingdom. Koushi had stopped keeping track of how many sleepless nights he had gone through in order to study or help prepare for something. Koushi had stopped caring about himself enough to no longer cry over the constant pressure he had to live up to. He did everything that he could to an absolute perfection.

 

This treatment wasn't just unfair. It was _complete_ and _utter bullshit_ and it was only now that Koushi realized this. It left him seething with rage.

 

He had curled himself up in his bed, cursing Tooru under his breath. How dare he constantly talk about the surface and the world of humans and the one time that Koushi begs to go see it he declines to do so? How could he do that?

Sure, maybe Koushi hadn't been the perfect picture of a mentally stable person but it's the thought that counts, right?

 

Koushi hadn't moved from his spot in over three hours, still fuming over Tooru's dismissal of his request. Goddammit when Koushi became King he was going to make Tooru pay for this. And pay very, very dearly.

 

Koushi was too pissed off to even register that someone else had entered the room. It wasn't until he felt the bed dip under someone's weight that he realized that somebody had come in. He turned around to face the newcomer, ready to lecture them about approaching him when he was in such a delicate state and stopped cold once he took a good look into the king's eyes.

 

“Father,” Koushi said stiffly.

 

“Koushi,” his father replied. “Koushi, my dear son.”

 

Koushi stiffened at these words and narrowed his eyes.

 

“Koushi, you know I love you,” his father began. Koushi stayed silent and kept his blank stare on the King's face. “I just want what is best for you.”

 

Koushi gave him a wary smile. _Here we go again,_ thought a small, defeated part of him. _Same old, same old._ “I know. And I appreciate that.”

 

“Good,” said the king. The two of them stared at each other for an awkward amount of time before Koushi looked away, hoping that his father would understand that he was not in the mood to talk. He was an emotional mess at the moment and the last thing he needed was for his father to apologize for his earlier behavior.

 

The king did not get the message. “I was just… surprised. You’re usually so on top on of things. I had thought that maybe you didn’t want to do the concert this year. It was the only plausible reason why you wouldn’t have arrived on time.” He lowered his voice and added, “I’m sorry to have upset you.”

 

Koushi gazed up at him, eyes wide. The king looked down at him with such gentle concern and love. Koushi’s heart felt that it might burst from such open affection. His father so rarely strayed past the line of pats on the head and repeated words of praise. He might as well have set a feast in front of Koushi.

 

Maybe the King had realized what he had done was wrong. Maybe he had realized that he had overreacted and stepped out of line. The King was always talking about assessing yourself and the situation. To improve you had be critical. Maybe for once he decided to take his own advice.

 

Koushi had overreacted as well, now that he thought about it. Suddenly his visit to Tooru and pleads to go to the surface seemed silly and childish. He had just been escaping his problems. Nothing good ever came out of that. Oikawa, being a good friend, had realized this and that's why he had denied Koushi's request. Suddenly, Koushi liked Oikawa a whole lot more.

 

“I’m sorry for coming late,” Koushi mumbled quietly. “I truly am.” He bowed his head in respect.

 

The King nodded sagely. “I know you are.” He placed a hand to Koushi's shoulder. “I know you especially will be once you have done your punishment."

 

Koushi’s head snapped up so quick he was sure that it would come clean off his neck. “Punishment?” he asked, bewildered.

 

“Of course!” The King scoffed, crossing his arms. “You arrived late, interrupted the practice and made me look like a fool in front of everyone. It's only fair.”

 

“I’m sorry?” Koushi choked.

 

“If you had arrived on time I would not have had to yell at you and put us both in such a compromising situation,” the King said, spreading his arms out. “You have made a mistake and you must face the consequences. You understand this, right?”

 

Koushi’s right eye twitched. “I do,” he replied evenly.

 

“Why do you look so surprised? I have to harsh with you. I cannot show so freely that I favor you.”

 

“I know,” said Koushi through gritted teeth. “You've told me many times.”

 

The King nodded and continued without noticing how Koushi seethed. “Therefore I have alerted the kitchen that you will go down and help clean the dishes after dinner for seven days. Nothing too drastic. Just a little something to help you learn about responsibility.”

 

“Responsibility,” Koushi echoed, voice tinged with anger.

 

“Responsibility,” the King agreed enthusiastically.

 

 _Wonderful_ , thought Koushi bitterly. “I see.”

 

The King pat Koushi's back gently. “I knew that I could talk to you. You're a good prince, Koushi. You'll make a fine king someday.”

 

“Oh, thanks,” said Koushi sarcastically. “Really needed this pep talk, you know?”

 

The king threw his head back and laughed. “And with a sense of humor! Truly you are your mother's child.” The King rose up to his full height. “I will leave you be for now. I'll see you at dinner later. And remember that I will not tolerate you ever being late to practice again.”

 

“Yes, sir,” Koushi muttered under his breath. “Always a pleasure doing business with you.”

 

The King seemed slightly perplexed as to why Koushi wasn't an enthusiastic as he was but he didn't push Koushi any further. He made his way out of the room without another comment, leaving the prince fuming on his bed.

 

Koushi didn't move from his spot until it was time to go to dinner. He had even skipped lunch, a new for Koushi. But today was full of surprises, so not having lunch didn't seem to be such a big deal to the prince at the moment.

 

When dinnertime came around a servant had been sent to go fetch him.

 

“Suga-san?” Yamaguchi pipped up, peaking into the room nervously. “Suga-san, you're expected for dinner.”

 

Koushi let out a loud groan and buried his head into the pillow. “I refuse.”

 

“The king and the rest of the family awaits you,” Yamaguchi said quietly. “Dinner won't start until you come.”

 

Koushi let out a loud sigh and rolled off of his bed. “No point in having them waiting for too long then right?” said Koushi, flashing Yamaguchi a smile. “Let's go. Don't want to make the king mad again.”

 

Koushi made his way to the dinning room, closely followed by Yamaguchi who kept on fidgeting with his fingers. He kept glancing at Koushi and tried his best to talk to the prince. But no words came out of his mouth. Which was good, really, since Koushi wasn't in the mood to talk with anyone at the moment. However, he did pity the poor servant who only cared for his well-being so before they got to the dinning hall Koushi stopped abruptly and whirled around to face him.

 

“You worry too much, Yamaguchi,” Koushi said. “I'm fine.”

 

Yamaguchi frowned. “No, you aren't, Suga-san. I know you aren't. Hinata told me everything that happened. You couldn't possibly-”

 

“It's nothing,” Koushi interrupts airily, waving a hand. “I'm over it now.”

 

“I could tell the king that you're sick,” Yamaguchi babbled. “Say that you looked pale and that you were coughing and-”

 

“Yamaguchi,” Koushi said, eyes softening with love for the younger boy. “There is no need for you to lie for my sake.”

 

“But you shouldn't have to face him!” Yamaguchi exclaimed, fists balled up tightly. “He had to understand that what you did was an honest mistake and that you are very trustworthy and that obviously something had gone wrong! You can't accept this!”

 

Koushi placed a gentle hand on Yamaguchi's shoulder. “You're froothing at the mouth,” Koushi told him, slightly amused.

 

Yamaguchi wiped his mouth and looked down, the tips of his ears pink. “Sorry, sorry. I'm just upset and angry. You don't deserve this.”

 

Koushi sighed. “I'm used to it. He'll forget it eventually, so don't worry.” He pat Yamaguchi's back in hopes of consoling him but the only response Koushi got was frown. “If I need anything I promise that I will go look for you, okay? Now, chin up. We're about to enter a room where the King is present. A bowed head a sign of submission.”

 

“I'm a servant,” said Yamaguchi under his breath. “My role is to be submissive.”

 

Koushi pursed his lips. “Not when you're with me. Come on.” The pair enter the massive and sweeping room. Koushi had always liked the dinning hall with it's shiny transparent walls and glistening chandeliers. When he was younger he would often come here with Tooru to play, chasing each other around and around and hiding in the various crooks and crannies the place at the offer for two small mermen. They were often scolded by the servants for their playing but their parents never found about it. Koushi supposes that it was because the servants felt that the two boys deserved to have some sort of playtime since they never got any.

 

Koushi was eternally indebted to them.

 

Koushi made his way to his spot on the far end of the table with Yamaguchi obediently trailing behind him. Yamaguchi pulled the chair out for Koushi and motioned for the prince to sit down. Koushi did so and gave Yamaguchi his thanks. The servant nodded numbly before making his way to the other servants that had gathered in order to oversee the dinner.

 

“And I was thinking that you wouldn't show up,” said the King heartily from beside Koushi.

 

Koushi fought the bile that rose to his mouth. “Well, no matter what, one must eat.”

 

“Good boy!” exclaimed the King, patting his back. “I knew that you would come around.”

 

The rest of the family had already arrived and warmly welcomed Koushi to the table. Koushi did his best to smile, genuinely happy with the love and care his siblings showed him. But as dinner wore on, Koushi found himself growing more and more frustrated.

 

This dinner was like any other; his siblings constantly chattering about whatever they had done that day as well as what they planned to do the next. Koushi usually enjoyed listening to their crazy tales like a proud mother hen, but today he could only be annoyed by them. He wanted the dinner to be silent, wary glances shot his way and angry glares towards the King. He wanted them to acknowledge what had happened earlier. He wanted the King to know that none of his siblings agreed with the treatment he had given Koushi.

 

But, instead, they carried on as usual. Koushi knew they meant well by it. They wanted to forget about Koushi's scolding as quickly as they could. But Koushi was fed up and pissy so their actions only rubbed him the wrong way.

 

He barely touched his food, chewing slowly and doing his best to look contemplative. He excused as quickly as he could, declaring loudly that he had no appetitie and that he would go down to the kitchen to do his punishment. Kiyoko was the only one to look over at the King with a stern glare. The rest of his siblings looked at him in surprise.

 

“See! What did I tell you?” said the king as he puffed his chest out with pride. “A lesson in responsibility and you're already learning. You're a good boy, Koushi. You're given permission to leave the table. Servants! One of you please escort the prince down to the kitchen in order to complete his duty.”

 

Yamaguchi moved forward and beckoned for Koushi to follow him. They left the dinning hall, all eyes on them. Once they were out of sight Yamaguchi said to Koushi. “You don't have to do this, you know. We could cover for you.”

 

“You would lie to the king?” asked Koushi, raising an eyebrow. “You'd willingly allow yourself to be labeled as traitor to the kingdom?”

 

Yamaguchi sighed loudly. “No, I wouldn't mind lying.” Koushi blinked in surprise as Yamaguchi lead him down a hallway Koushi had never ventured through before. “And honestly, between you and me, I think most of the palace staff would choose you over your father any day.”

 

Koushi halted and stared at Yamaguchi with wide eyes. “Come again?”

 

“You heard me,” Yamaguchi replied softly. “Most of us like you better and our alliance lies more with you than the current king.” He stopped and turned around to face Koushi, frowning. “I thought it was pretty obvious by now.”

 

“But I don't want to be king,” Koushi blurted out.

 

Yamaguchi's eyes widened and Koushi remembered that he had never said such things to anyone else other than his siblings and Oikawa. He covered his mouth with his hands.

 

“I-I-mean, I don't think that I would make a good king and-”

 

“Suga-san, relax,” Yamaguchi said quickly, swimming up to Koushi. “We all know how you feel about your position. It's just… weird hearing you say it out loud. But don't worry. It's not a secret that you'd rather be a diplomat or something like that.”

 

Koushi's shoulders slumped in relief and he let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding in. “Am I that transparent?”

 

Yamaguchi tapped his lips with a finger. “I don't think so? But anyone could see that you're better suited for that position and you've always excelled more in that area. I think the only person who doesn't suspect anything is the king.”

 

“Wonderful,” Koushi deadpanned.

 

Yamaguchi let out a nervous chuckle. “I mean, it does suck, but at least you don't have him on you for wanting to do something else. My mother told me that he was awful when people didn't do as he wanted. Your mother really mellowed him out.”

 

“Love does that to you, I suppose,” said Koushi flatly. “Too bad she isn't around anymore in order to mellow him out some more.”

 

Yamaguchi shook his head. “That would be nice, yes. But, sadly, she is no longer here.”

 

“Shame,” remarked Koushi bitterly. “Real shame.”

 

Yamaguchi fidgeted. “Suga-san, are you sure that you want to do this? I feel that the plates are in trouble under you rage.”

 

“I'm fine, I'm fine,” Koushi insisted, going forward. “Lets just get this over with.”

 

Yamaguchi hesitated before going after him and guiding Koushi the rest of the way to the kitchen. Koushi recalled that when he was younger he had stumbled upon the kitchen once while playing with Tooru. The next time they tried finding it they had ended up getting so lost that their parents had actually sent a search party to go look for them.

 

Thinking about it now, all the times that Koushi had done something his father frowned upon it had been with Tooru.

 

Oikawas really were trouble.

 

They got to the kitchen quickly and in no time Koushi was in the fray, helping out with as much as he could. Most of the servants tried to give him a free pass.

 

“A prince shouldn't be here to begin with,” one of them said, taking the plate from Koushi's hand.

 

“This punishment was unjust and you shouldn't serve it,” another remarked when Koushi asked them how he could be off service.

 

“It's boring as hell. Why do you even want to do it?” asked Tsukishima when Koushi asked him about what he was doing and if he could be of service.

 

“I have to do something!” exclaimed Koushi, throwing his hands up. “I have to show results!”

 

Tsukishima snorted. “What kind of results? Do you think that we're going to file a report or something like that? Newsflash, half of us don't even know how to read, much less write.”

 

“Tsukki is right,” Yamaguchi said. “You should just go up to your room.”

 

Koushi huffed and crossed his arms. “I need to do something,” he pressed.

 

“No, you don't,” said Tsukishima and Yamaguchi in unison, turning back to their work.

 

“I know that you want to help,” Tsukishima said, squinting at something on the plate. “But you really shouldn't be here.” A pause. “Yamaguchi, what the fuck am I looking at?”

 

“Food,” came Yamaguchi's speedy reply.

 

Tsukishima let out a low hum and continued to clean. Koushi shook his head. “No, I feel bad. I must do something.”

 

“Alright. Just talk to us then. We're almost done anyways,” Tsukishima said. “Is the match still on? I really do want to see if Hinata and Kageyama have improved that much as they said they did.”

 

Yamaguchi snickered. “As if. Their new strategy probably involves getting you in the middle of their fight in order to distract you from Noya-san and Asahi-san.”

 

Koushi bristled a little. “I'll have you know that both Hinata and Kageyama have been working their tails off for the upcoming match between you two.”

 

Tsukishima and Yamaguchi exchanged amused glances. “Do tell,” Tsukishima drawled. “I can't wait to see their faces when we beat them again.”

 

Koushi puffed his cheeks out.

 

He would not let these two underestimate Hinata and Kageyama.

 

Koushi went on to rant about how his two dear siblings were absolutely going to own Tsukishima and Yamaguchi. While the prince went on a tangent both servants finished up their chores. By the time Koushi was winding down about how much more superior Hinata and Kageyama were Tsukishima and Yamaguchi had finished their job.

 

“You tricked me,” said Koushi, when he realized what had just happened. He stared at them, mouth open and eyes wide with shock.

 

“Sorry, Suga-san,” apologized Yamaguchi sincerely. “But you really shouldn't do anything down here. It's not your place.”

 

Koushi felt himself stiffen and another rant dance at the tip of his tongue but Tsukishima cut in. “Listen, I know that you like to do everything you're told but you can't take this. Besides, nobody is gonna let you do anything down here.”

 

“So essentially everyone expects me to sit in a corner and watch?” Koushi asked.

 

“Yeah,” Tsukishima agreed. “Sounds about right.”

 

Yamaguchi bowed to the Koushi. “Let's go. I'll take you to your room now.”

 

Koushi merely nodded. “Okay.”

 

“Good night, Suga-san,” said Tsukishima briskly. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

 

“Bye, Tsukishima,” Koushi replied tiredly. He swan up to the door in which Yamaguchi was waiting for him. Koushi gave the servant a nod and Yamaguchi lead him through the intricate passages to get the prince to the bedroom. Both were silent the whole time and Koushi was infintely grateful that Yamaguchi didn't feel particularly chatty that the moment. Koushi felt rather unbalanced and Yamaguchi did not deserve to have anyone lash out at him.

 

“We're here,”Yamaguchi announced, slowly down as they arrived to the bedroom. He left Koushi at the door.

 

“Thank you,” said Koushi.

 

“A pleasure,” said Yamaguchi as he bowed one last time before he went away, disappearing around the corner. Koushi stayed in front of the bedroom door for a while, pondering about what he should do.

 

 _Talk to_ _Tooru_ , his brain supplied. _Go to the surface._

 

But Koushi shook his head at the thought.

 

No. He would wait a little before pursuing that certain idea. It probably only came up because he was upset and wanted to rebel against his father, not out of actually wanting. It was best not to indulge in those types of thoughts.

 

However, by the end of the week, Koushi found out that his feelings hadn't changed. In fact, his desire to go see the surface had increased, an intense curiosity festering up inside of him. It only grew worse due to his punishment.

 

Tsukishima had been right when he told him that nobody was going to let him do anything. Koushi was forced to sit in a corner and ponder about whatever came to mind.

 

And the surface came to mind.

 

Multiple times.

 

He started to imagine what it was like up there. Was it warm? What did sand feel like on lad? Didn't it feel weird to always be dry? What was it like to walk on legs? What was it like to swim with legs? What were those huge monsters with white sheets they controlled? How did they tame something that size? How did they teach their young? Did they play games? What sort of other strange creatures inhabited the land?

 

Koushi's mind swirled with endless questions with no answer to them. It made him feel antsy and irritable. Before now he could always ask one of his teachers to glen from their endless knowledge. But nobody knew much about the land much less about it's inhabitants and their customs. All Koushi knew was that they were easy to trick and that in the Siren community they were considered a delicacy.

 

Koushi doesn't think that humans look appetizing but Sirens have always been weird. If they want to eat humans, let him.

 

At the end of the week Koushi decided that he had suffered enough and that he should just go and talk to Tooru and see if he was open to the idea of taking him. If not, Koushi would pester him for as long as it took.

 

Koushi went out late at night, right after his punishment. Yamaguchi left him at the door as usual and went away after saying his goodbyes. Instead of going into the room and getting some sleep, Koushi carefully made his way out of the palace and went over to the Oikawa's.

 

It took him a little longer than usual since he was bogged down by exhaustion. However, he still made it with enough time to spare and he quickly went to Tooru's room. He tapped on the glass gently and whispered a soft, “Tooru!”

 

Tooru emerged at the window, hair unkempt and eyes bleary. “Suga-chan?” he whispered back.

 

“I need to talk to you,” said Koushi urgently, pressing his fingertips against the glass. “Open up.”

 

Tooru hesitated for a moment, rubbing his eyes. “Suga-chan, it's late. Go back home.”

 

“This is important,” Koushi insisted. “I need to talk to you.”

 

Tooru looked around his room before slumping his shoulders in defeat. He opened the window up and allowed Koushi to come in. Koushi made his way to Tooru's bed and sat down on it. Tooru closed the window as Koushi made himself at home. Koushi's tail swished nervously and he licked his lips in anticipation as Tooru regarded him through slitted eyes. At first Koushi thought that Tooru was upset with him but them a let out a loud yawn and chalked up his rather angry aura as sleepy

 

“So,” Tooru said slowly. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

 

“Take me to the surface,” Koushi blurted.

 

Damn. He had been hoping to ease into the conversation a bit better than this.

 

Oops.

 

Tooru blinked in surprise before sighing. “Kou-chan, please. I know that you're still upset about what happened with your father but you have to understand that-”

 

“I'm serious now,” Koushi said. “Very serious.”

 

Tooru shook his head. “No. You're still hurt about it and want to escape. Really, I don't think it's a good-”

 

Koushi let out a frustrated whine and slammed his hands against the bed. He felt like such a child but he just couldn't stop. Some childish drama was long overdue in his life. “I've spent this whole week thinking about. Really thinking about it. And I have questions about the surface. About humans. I-I want to see it, just once. Please, please, help me with this,” Koushi pleaded.

 

Tooru bit his lip. “It's not safe for you.”

 

“To hell with that!” Koushi exclaimed angrily. “I-I-you can't just expect me to sit here with my questions!”

 

“I could answer them for you,” Tooru said slowly. “I know a lot.”

 

Koushi shook his head. “But I want to see for myself. Break out of my routine for once. I need to something completely out there, break out of my mold,” he said deperately. You understand, don't you?”

 

Tooru nodded. “I do.”

 

Koushi got up and made his way to Tooru. He placed his hands on Tooru's biceps and stared into his eyes pleadingly. “Then help me, Tooru. Show me the surface. Show me the humans. Just once is all I ask. I'll stop bothering you after that, I promise.”

 

Tooru shifted his eyes away. Koushi knew that Tooru was sucker for when people looked at him in the eye like this. Koushi would exploit this weakness of his as much as he could.

 

“Once you go up there you can't stop,” Tooru warned quietly. “You can never stop.” He paused before adding. “I-I don't want you to end up in trouble because of me.”

 

Koushi pouted. “Where was that Tooru that always wanted me to go and explore the world? Besides, if it really is as wonderful as you say it is it must be worth the risk.”

 

Tooru does not budge. “I wasn't thinking about the consequences. I can't do this. _We_ can't do this.”

 

“Since when were you the responsible one?” Koushi teased.

 

“Since I realized that this is a terrible idea for you! Look, it's not healthy. You're just doing this because you're feeling petty, I get it. I feel the same way too sometimes. But I can't let you do this. Not now. Not ever.”

 

“Once,” Koushi begged, voice cracking. “Just once. That's all I ask.”

 

Oikawa's face twisted in pain. “Don't do this to me, Suga-chan.”

 

“Then what do I have to do? Name your price. I'll do it. Just-just let me see the surface once. Let me answer a few questions that I have by myself,” Koushi felt his eyes well up with tears and his voice shake. His hands might have been unsteady as well but he's not sure.

 

Goodness, Koushi doesn't remember ever wanting do something this _bad._ He felt that he might end up bawling if Tooru said no again.

 

Oikawa bit his bottom lip and Koushi is certain that he's about to refuse again when he said, “Just once. I'll only do it once. If you go up again it's at your own risk.”

 

Koushi's shoulders relaxed and he wrapped Tooru up in a tight embrace. “Thank you,” he whispered, voice shaking. “Thank you so much.”

 

“I can't say no to you,” Tooru lamented, hugging Koushi just as tight. “Come by again in three days around noon. I'll take you to a special spot that I like. Hopefully it'll help you.”

 

Koushi allowed a small smile to slip on his lips. “That sounds wonderful. Thank you so much.”

 

“Anything for you, Suga-chan,” Tooru whispered softly. “Anything.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we're getting somewhere! Next up, what is our dear Daichi up to? We haven't heard from him in like forever. Hope he's doing okay. Who know though, man.
> 
> (psttt you can find me on twitter @TNAhere and tumblr @totally-not-addicted to talk to me about these cute volleydorks)


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